Always For You
by makesmyheadspin
Summary: AH. After years of writing letters and chatting by webcam, Eric finally makes a trip to America to meet Sookie face to face. They plan to spend the summer together, but will he be able to leave her when the summer ends? Rated M for later chapters.
1. Happy Birthday

My first AH story. I avoided them like the plague for a while, but then I was lured to the dark side with all the delicious outdoor, mid-day lemons that were possible. It's summer (almost) what can I say? *sigh* This story is unbeta'd, so all the mistakes are mine. If anyone's interested in the job, I'm reachable by PM. This story was made possible by a Michelle Featherstone song of the same name as this story. If you haven't heard it, you should. So pretty. Thanks for reading!

**I do not own any of this characters. I just thought it'd be fun to take 'em on a roadtrip.**

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**Chapter One: Happy Birthday**

**SPOV**

The first time I saw him was on my eighth birthday. My second grade teacher, Miss Larsson, had been born in Sweden and lived there until she was in high school. As a result, she had many friends there. Her best friend was also a second grade teacher. They'd decided since they loved writing each other letters so much, us kids would probably get a kick out of it as well. Not to mention, it would broaden our minds and help the Swedish kids with their English. It was actually a pretty genius idea, now that I think back on it. Not that all of my classmates agreed with that assessment.

I remember how my brother had warned me that Miss Larsson was going to make me try and be friends with 'weird people' who didn't speak English. Jason had about as much sense and a stick so I didn't take his warning to heart. Well, not too much. My brother, while a general menace in my life, was nothing if not protective when it came to the rest of the world. He had no tolerance for anyone picking on me whatsoever. In that regard, Jason was a good big brother. He preferred to be sweet to me when no one else could see it, which was a phase he outgrew shortly after girls ceased to have cooties. I think I was probably in the fourth grade?

Anyway...the first letter I got from my overseas penpal came on my eighth birthday. Most kids tore through their letters with little regard for what their new 'friend' had to say. They were just biding their time until I could pass out the cupcakes my Mom made for the class. They were chocolate and yellow cake marbled together with bright pink icing I'd mixed myself. I was damn proud of those little cupcakes. I was about as eager as the rest of the kids to get to them.

I remember reading through the letter with limited interest. My penpal's name was Eric. He was also eight-years-old. He was an only child. He played football, which I found out later is really soccer. For a while I was pretty tripped up on why it was called something different in Sweden. I still don't quite get it, but that's not important. What is important is that at eight-years-old my little heart began to race when I looked at the picture Eric had enclosed with his letter.

It was a Polaroid instead of a class picture like the one Mom had insisted I send in my response letter. Eric was missing one of his bottom front teeth, but that was still pretty common among the kids in my class so I didn't think anything of it. His hair was shaggy and the same shade of blond as my own. His eyes were what really got me. Even then I knew there was something special about them. They were deep blue where mine were the color of the sky. His grin was lopsided and there was what appeared to be a scab on his chin. If I didn't already have a brother who was always coming home with new injuries, I would have wondered how Eric managed that.

As it was, I knew he was cute. Girls were already starting to whisper about things like that, thanks to boybands. Eric didn't look like a single one of those boys which was just fine by me since, secretly, I didn't really think any of those boys were cute anyway. I'm not sure any of the other girls thought so either, but it was just the thing to say at the time. I did like the music, though.

So I wrote Eric back. I told him how I got my nickname and about my big brother always teasing me. I told him I wasn't a very good football player, but when we played the American way with my Daddy, I always ended up on the winning team. I couldn't think of much else to say to him, but it didn't matter. He answered anyway. This continued well beyond the project our teachers had set up for us. By the end of the school year, we were friends.

I got letters from him throughout the summer and I always responded. Our letters got more and more compelling as we got older and we got closer and closer. It was nice to have someone I could vent my frustrations to and ask for their opinion without ever having to worry that my secrets would be spilled. The only other person Eric knew who lived in America was an aunt on his mother's side, and she lived in Chicago.

I figured out that in spite of how different our lives were, we had a lot in common. I laughed, without fail, at some point in each of Eric's letters. He had quite the ego. I imagined if I had to see him on a day to day basis, I'd probably smack him silly. I was used to the preening, though, thanks to my brother. Jason had developed quite a strut of his own by the time he reached high school.

I remember receiving a certified letter from Eric the day before my first day of high school. I'd told him I was nervous about being a small fish in a big pond. Bon Temps wasn't big enough to have a high school all its own, so we were going to the Renard Parrish high school that combined kids from several small towns. I was mostly nervous about the kids from Hot Shot. No, I'm not kidding, that's really the name of the town. The kids there were notoriously in and out of trouble and tended to stick to "their own kind".

Rumors ran wild about inbreeding there, and most parents in Bon Temps tried to look the other way about their children being forced to associate with those social misfits. Gang problems weren't really something a parent had to worry about in Bon Temps unless their kid started hanging out with someone from Hot Shot. Then all bets were off.

Enclosed with his letter was a recent picture of Eric, and I'm pretty sure my heart stopped beating when I saw it. He was a far cry from the gangly and awkward eight-year-old he'd been when we first started writing one another. He told me he was almost six feet tall already and his mother was constantly yelling at him for forcing her to take him shoe shopping. You know, since Eric had control over how big his feet were going to get? I couldn't help but sigh right along with him on that one.

I'd carried his letter around with me in my pocket the first day of high school. Turns out I'd been worried for nothing. Jason, who was a senior that year, was by far the most popular boy in school. I was instantly popular by association, yet I credited Eric's letter for some of it. It gave me confidence to walk with my head up, like I belonged in those hallways.

The last line in his letter, before he signed his name, was, "Hungern är bästa kryddan.", which he translated for me. It meant 'hunger is the best flavoring.' Those five words changed the way I thought about a lot of things, including Eric. I suppose you could say I was just a silly teenage girl asking for trouble, but with each letter Eric and I sent after that, I grew to love him just a little bit more. I thought of him often and there were times when I would get incredibly sad that he wasn't closer to me. I would have loved to be able to turn to him and tell him about something funny someone had done in class or about my brother's most recent cheating scandal (since Jason couldn't seem to stick to one girl at a time).

It wasn't until my sixteenth birthday that I heard his voice for the first time. I was well aware of the time difference between us. It was just after nine in the morning. I was helping Mom make my traditional birthday breakfast of chocolate chip waffles, when the phone rang. I figured it had to be Gran or Aunt Linda calling to wish me a happy birthday. My girlfriends were all still sound asleep and none of Jason's friends would be calling me.

"Hello?" I spoke with a cheerful tone, just waiting for someone to burst into song. Aunt Linda was especially fond of singing on birthdays. Lucky for the rest of us, she had the voice for it.

But the voice that started singing to me wasn't at all the one I expected. In fact, it was completely different from any other voice I'd ever heard in my life. It was husky and low, but not in a creepy prank caller sort of way. The accent was unmistakable. I knew, without even asking, who was on the other end of the line. By the time he was done singing to me, I was in tears.

"Sookie, sweetheart, are you okay?" Mama reached for the phone, thinking it was a horrible prank call.

"Mom, it's okay, it's Eric." I dabbed at my tears. "Hello, Eric."

"Is this Sookie Stackhouse?" I was gone. Right then and there, I was gone. I didn't know how many thousands of miles were between us, but he had officially killed me right then.

"This is." I tried not to sound like a sniveling teenage girl. I failed. Epically.

"Happy birthday, Sookie." He sounded excited where I sounded like a deflated balloon.

"It was pretty brave of you to just start singing like that. For all you knew, my Daddy was going to answer the phone."

"Then he would have put you on the phone and I would have done it again." Eric spoke casually. He had confidence I didn't. I couldn't help but laugh at the image of what Daddy's face might have looked like had he been the one to take the call. "How is your birthday?"

His English was pretty good. I felt awkward with Mom standing right there. I looked at her with pleading eyes and she made herself scarce. She also managed to run interference to keep Jason out of the room when he stumbled down for breakfast an hour later. I could hear him growing impatient, but all I cared about was the sound of Eric's voice. By the time we hung up the phone, I was floating.

"About time." Jason grumbled when I finally announced I was off the phone. "See, Dad, this is why we need to get one of those cordless phones. I don't want to get kicked out of the kitchen every time Sook gets a call she don't want us listening to."

"You hush." I kicked my brother under the table. He kicked me right back. Our parents cleared their throats in warning. Jason and I just winked at each other, our silent truce was settled.

"So that was that Eric kid you've been writing letters to?" Daddy had asked, earning him a warning glance from Mom. "What?" He looked around the table.

"Yes, Daddy, that was him." I couldn't look up from my waffles.

"Sookie's in love with him." Jason taunted, purely to get a rise out of me.

"Shut up, Jason!" I kicked him again as my cheeks burned bright red. I had always been a blusher.

"Jason!" Mama's voice took on the same tone of warning it always did when we was irritated with either of us. Usually it was Jason that was the source of her irritation.

"Well, maybe y'all'll meet one day." Daddy winked at me.

I felt a bit flustered at the prospect. "Maybe." I conceded and dug into my waffles. That was the end of the discussion.

That was two years ago. Today is my eighteenth birthday. I have officially known Eric for ten years today. When I woke up the sun was shining and birds were chirping outside. It was almost summer, my favorite time of the year. I would be graduating from high school in the next month and I was excited about going off to college in August. I'd been waiting tables at Sam Merlotte's bar, just working the lunch rush on weekends and the dinner shift during the week. The fact that I wasn't supposed to be serving alcohol didn't deter Sam from hiring me. Everyone knew Bud Dearborn would look the other way on it. I wasn't one of the kids he had to bring home weekend after weekend from one party or another. In fact, it was hard to believe Jason Stackhouse and I were related at all, much less brother and sister. We were as different as siblings could be.

The doorbell rang downstairs and a few seconds later, I heard Mom greeting somebody. The next thing I knew, I was being summoned. "Sookie, you have a delivery!" Mom called up the stairs to me.

I threw my blankets off me and ran downstairs in my little shorts and tank top. It was already in the seventies outside. It was going to be a hot day. I planned on having breakfast, putting on a bikini and laying in the sun until I couldn't take it anymore. I know it doesn't sound fancy, but I had no desire to run out and buy a pack of cigarettes just because I could. That was how my cousin Hadley had started smoking. I wasn't going to fall into that trap.

I made it downstairs in record time to find my mother holding a massive bouquet of flowers. My jaw dropped. "Those are for me?"

Mom nodded and set them down on the table nearby. "They're heavy. There's a card." She was grinning from ear to ear.

"Did you and Daddy do this?"

"I wish we'd thought of it." Mom wrapped me up in a hug and walked me over to the flowers.

I leaned down to smell them. They smelled like heaven. There were pink roses and lillies and then ten white roses were mixed in with the other flowers. They were beautiful. I plucked the card from the middle of the bouquet and pulled it from the envelope.

_I wish I could be there with you today, but hopefully you have a wonderful day all the same. Happy birthday, Sookie._

_-Eric_

My eyes filled with tears and when I looked at my mother, I saw that she was crying, too. "I'm going to call him."

Mom nodded and said, "You better."

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**EPOV**

The hottest girl in the world was a few thousand miles away. It was her birthday and the only thing I could think of to give her was flowers. I had another trick up my sleeve, but I was going to wait until the next time we talked to lay it on her. Not only was it Sookie's birthday, it was also our anniversary. I had officially known her for ten years. It was hard to believe it had been that long.

When my second grade teacher, Mrs. Anderson, had given us the assignment to write a letter to a kid in America, I'd thought it was the stupidest thing I'd ever heard. I wrote the letter, not really caring if the recipient ever got it, much less wrote back. I'd included the most ridiculous picture of myself that I possibly could, thinking it would be enough to scare my new 'friend' away. Little did I know the fates had aligned to allow my letter to fall into the hands of some strange girl named Sookie Stackhouse. All I knew of her when I sent that letter was her name and that she was a second grader in Louisiana.

When I got a response letter from her a few weeks later, I was surprised to see she was a pretty girl. I figured with a name like Sookie, she had to be somewhat of a mess. She wasn't. If anything, she looked like the female version of me, only I knew she wasn't as tall. She never would be either. She was a sweet girl where I was more widely known as...well, not sweet. She was well-mannered and kind. I learned all sorts of things about her through her letters that most people would know about her, but there was quite a bit I knew that I was sure most people didn't.

Sookie wasn't necessarily the shy sort but she she wasn't what I'd call an extrovert either. I wondered if she would still be as open with me when we were face to face. I planned on telling her I would finally be making my way to see her that summer before going to Chicago to visit my Aunt Maggie. I'd had ten years to imagine what it would be like to be in the same room as Sookie. It wasn't until we got to be about fifteen that I really wished I'd been born somewhere else.

We'd watched each other grow up in the photographs we traded. We'd started out typical kids with missing baby teeth and awkward haircuts. We progressed into the pre-teen era with her just starting to wear makeup and me rebelling against my parents and growing my hair out to my shoulders. Then once we got to the high school years, I quickly realized Sookie was a hottie. It hit me like a runaway freight train. There I was, sitting on my back porch with her most recent letter in my hand. It was the end of summer before our second year of high school. She sent me a picture of herself that was taken at the Gulf of Mexico. Her long blond hair was whipping in the wind. Her cheeks pink from being out in the sun too long. The rest of her was glowing tan. She was wearing an American flag bikini that had me saluting immediately.

From that point on, my thoughts of her went from wondering simply what she was doing to what she looked like naked. I felt a little wrong for thinking of her that way but I didn't let it stop me. I'd woken up with sticky sheets on more mornings than I can count because of some dream I had about her. All hope was lost when she got a laptop for Christmas last year. We started video chatting with one another. The fact that she never saw how excited I got to see and hear her was purely amazing.

I was stretched out on my bed, wondering if Sookie got the flowers I'd sent her when I heard my computer make a noise. Someone was inviting me to a video chat and I had a pretty good idea who that someone was. I reached over to my desk and grabbed my laptop. Yep, it was Sookie. I accepted the chat without a second thought.

Her face appeared on my monitor, tears running down her cheeks. "Hey stranger."

"Eric, thank you." She wiped her flushed cheeks.

"You're welcome. Shall I sing to you now, or later?"

She laughed and said, "How about we skip that this year?"

"You don't like my singing?" I'd been doing that since we were sixteen and I talked to her the first time over the phone. It had been a short five minute conversation, but I had the whole thing memorized.

"You hush." She admonished me with that sweet drawl of hers that made it difficult for me to keep my laptop in my lap.

"You like the flowers?"

"They're pink, smell like heaven and they came from you. I love them." She certainly wasn't shy about telling me how she felt. Well, in most ways.

"I am happy to hear that."

"So how've you been? We haven't talked in a while." That was mostly my fault. It got harder and harder (no pun intended) to talk to her like this and not be in the same room as her. "I was starting to think I did something wrong."

"Don't be crazy, Sookie." I chided her. She hadn't done a damn thing wrong. It was me and my hormones that were fucking things up. I took the chicken way out and lied to her. "I've been busy with football lately."

"Oh." She seemed relieved to hear that. "How's your team doing?"

"We have done well so far this season, but there is much room for improvement."

We chatted about little things for a while. She mentioned having gone prom shopping with her mother the week before. Her dress was white, but she wouldn't show it to me. She told me I would just have to wait until she sent me pictures when she was all dressed up. She was an angel one minute and a tease the next. I loved that about her. Then there was a knock on her bedroom door and she sat up. I hadn't realized she was laying on her stomach. Like me, she was also on her bed. When she got up I was treated to a lovely shot of her cleavage, quickly followed by the curve of the lower half of her body when she got off her bed.

Hello hard-on.

She spoke to her mother in hushed tones before returning to her bed. God, she was so fucking sexy and she had no idea. I wondered if I drove her as crazy as she drove me. I sincerely doubted it. Not that I couldn't have a girlfriend. I'd had a few in only the very loosest of terms. The problem was, none of them were Sookie. I found myself comparing them to her which was pointless, since none of them would ever be her. I had it bad for this girl I'd never met. Talking over webcams didn't really count, in my opinion. It was definitely an upgrade from letters and phone calls, but it wasn't the same.

"Sorry about that. Mom just wanted to make sure I still wanted the traditional birthday breakfast." Sookie grinned at me. Her tank top had ridden up a bit to reveal her tanned stomach. Damn.

"Chocolate chip waffles?"

"You betcha." She nodded and then leaned closer to the computer again, treating me to another shot at her cleavage. I determined then that she was trying to kill me. Two could play at that game.

I rearranged my laptop on my bed and then stretched out a little. I paid close attention to Sookie's face as I moved. She blushed. Sookie was a notorious blusher. She'd written about how embarrassing it was years ago. I'd definitely caught her looking at me and she knew it. I decided to let it go, though, since it was her birthday and all.

"So, there's something I need to tell you." I made sure to keep the monitor north of my waistline, since I was sporting some serious wood by that point.

Sookie, the minx, was sprawled out on her bed in a similar position to my own, only she didn't bother making sure the monitor was trained any particular way. Not that it would have mattered at that point. She looked a bit nervous. Her hand fell over her exposed stomach and her slender fingers drummed against it. Her thumb pressed just under her breasts.

"Everything okay?" She sounded concerned.

"Fine. I actually have good news." I could barely contain the grin on my face. I refused to let myself think she wouldn't be happy with my news.

It had crossed my mind she might have a boyfriend but I figured she would have told me if she did. I certainly would have seen him at some point during our conversations. The only boy I'd ever seen in her bedroom was her brother.

"Well, I'm not getting any younger." Sookie stuck her tongue out at me.

My one track mind went straight to wondering what that tongue tasted like, and what it would be like to have it in my mouth, not to mention on various other parts of me. The urge to reach into my boxers was unimaginable. I forced myself to keep my hands where she could see them.

"I'm coming to America." I announced it just like that.

"Shut up!" Sookie sat upright and nearly knocked her computer off her bed. I couldn't help but laugh. I'd certainly succeeding in surprising her. "When?"

"I graduate in the middle of May. I will be leaving the Friday after."

"Holy shit." I'd never heard Sookie curse before. It was sexy. "How long are you staying? _Where_ are you staying?"

"I haven't decided how long I'm staying. I've been saving money for this since I started high school and my Aunt bought me the plane tickets."

"Wow. That's an awfully generous gift."

"I'm her only nephew and the closest thing she has to a child of her own. She has a step-daughter, but she and Pam don't get along so great."

"So you've told me."

"So what do you think?"

"What day, exactly, will you be landing in the States?"

I looked over at my calendar and said, "May twenty-eighth." Sookie cringed and closed her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Prom is that night." She looked like she was going to cry again.

"Oh." She'd never told me what day her prom was. "Well, then I will see you the next day."

I could tell she was about to offer to skip the dance. I wouldn't let her. Not in a million years. She'd been talking about it for the last three months. She'd told me about going to three different cities before finally finding a dress she deemed acceptable. I wouldn't let her ditch it at the last minute because of me.

"You could go with me?" She volunteered out of nowhere.

"What?"

"Prom. You could go with me."

"Would your school even allow that?"

Sookie rolled her eyes. "I'm sure I could talk someone into letting you in the gym. It's not like you're fifty or planning on packing heat, right?"

I'd be packing something, I'm sure, but it wouldn't be a firearm. "Not to my knowledge."

"Then don't worry about it. All you have to do is say yes."

"Yes."

Her eyes lit up. "This is the best birthday ever!" She did one of those girly squealing things that mostly only dogs could hear but I couldn't fault her. I was one cleavage shot away from doing that myself.

"I'll email you the flight information." I promised her. It was getting late, and as much as I didn't want to let her go, I had homework to do. Not to mention, a massive hard-on that was becoming painful.

"I always forget that it's so much later there." She said when she came down from her little high. "Eric, thank you. Really. I don't even know..." She trailed off and took a deep breath to stop herself from crying for a third time. "You know you're my best friend, right?"

Usually hearing something like that would be the kiss of death. With Sookie, I had the feeling that was the in I needed. "I do. You know it's mutual." And it was. It really was.

"Thank you for the flowers. I noticed there were ten white roses. I'm touched that you remembered."

"It's our anniversary." I smirked at her.

"Who'd have thought when I opened that letter and found a picture of a tall blond kid with a jack-o-lantern grin that I'd be looking at my best friend ten years later?"

"I thought the same thing when I saw your pigtails." I teased right back.

"Oooh I could wear pigtails when I see you." Her eyebrow arched. The look on my face must have been priceless because she cracked up. "I was kidding, Eric."

She shifted again on her bed, her body pulling her tank top further down that before. Oh, dear God. I thought for sure I was going to have a stroke right then and there. It figured I'd die before I got the chance to actually meet this woman. She was going to kill me. I knew it.

"I should get going." I didn't want to, but I had to before I exploded right there in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Shit. She knew something was up.

"Homework. You know how it is. I have exams coming up soon."

"Right. Okay, well, let me know when you're getting in. I'll pick you up from the airport."

"That would be nice."

"Cool. Alright, see you later." She blew me a kiss and then disconnected from the chat.

I went straight to the shower.

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**Thoughts, questions, comments, concerns? All are welcome if you'd just be so kind as to click that little blue button.**


	2. Face To Face

First things first! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your lovely reviews, alerts and favorites to this story! Talk about exciting! Holy cow! You guys are wonderful. And speaking of wonderful, a super huge thank you to **hearttorn** for so graciously (and quickly) offering to beta this for me! I appreciate her getting this chapter back to me so quickly. You should all go worship at her alter.

**I do not own any of these characters. I just thought it would be fun to take them on a roadtrip.**

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**Chapter Two: Face To Face**

**SPOV**

Finding out that Eric was coming to America was a huge deal for me. After all that time of talking, writing letters and whatever else, it was strange to think he would finally be in the same room as me. I had asked him to go to prom with me before I could think twice about it. I felt guilty afterward, though. Did he really want to spend his first night in America at some silly high school dance? Although, I supposed the important thing would be that we'd be together for a change. I know I wouldn't care where we went if I were going to Stockholm.

And I'd thought about going to Stockholm - I'd thought about it a lot. I worried that if I went, and things went as well with Eric in person as they did in my dreams, I'd never want to leave him. Could I really see myself living in another country for the rest of my life? Would I be willing to give up my friends, family and all the other plans I had just for him? I was afraid to answer that question. I also knew I was getting _way_ ahead of myself.

Yes, Eric and I had built a friendship over the last ten years, but who's to say things wouldn't go to hell the second we laid eyes on one another? Talking over webcams and on the phone wasn't the same as being in the same room. I thought about him constantly. What I was going to do if things didn't work out? It wasn't a pretty scenario.

I went back to school the day after my birthday. For years, Jason and I had a deal with Mom where if our grades were good and we hadn't missed any school that quarter, she would call us in sick on our birthday. Jason, the perpetual academic underachiever, always fell short. I, on the other hand, never had a problem meeting Mom's criteria. I was thankful for the day off and I returned to school with a much deeper tan and a spring in my step that was immediately noticed.

"Girl, you look like you're floatin'," my best friend Tara teased as I walked toward her.

"I had a very good birthday," I grinned and leaned against the bank of lockers to my right.

"Define _good_," Tara narrowed her eyes at me.

"Well, first I had flowers delivered to me."

"That's nice," Tara looked at me strangely.

"They were from Sweden." That got Tara's mouth to drop open.

"Tall, blonde and studly sent you flowers?" Tara didn't care much for Eric, but I figured that had more to do with her being jealous (on several levels) than because she could find a personality flaw. "Who knew he ever thought of anyone but himself?"

"Tara!" I hated it when she did that.

She'd talked to him once on my webcam, and it just so happened that she'd shown up unannounced. Eric and I were in a pretty deep conversation and it was the first time we'd been able to get simultaneous webcam time for more than a month. I'd desperately needed the face time with him. Tara had rudely interrupted so she could tell me about the latest drama with her on-again/off-again boyfriend, Mickey. Eric had been about as annoyed as I was that Tara had just burst into the room, only I was too nice to snap at her. Eric, on the other hand, had let her have it with both barrels. They'd been 'enemies' ever since.

"He's just so rude," Tara complained, failing to see her role in what had happened.

"I don't want to argue about this again." My good mood was rapidly fading. I hated that my two best friends couldn't seem to get along. Up until yesterday that wasn't really a problem.

"Well it's a good thing he lives across the Pond." Tara rolled her eyes. When I didn't say anything else, she looked at me expectantly. "What?"

I couldn't stop myself from giggling and then grinning like a fool. "He's coming here."

"Say what?" That's what Tara always said when she heard something she didn't like.

"We're going to prom together!" I bounced up and down like a six-year-old on a pixie stix and Redbull diet.

"Say _what_?" she repeated. "How did this happen?"

"He graduates from high school before us, and he has an aunt that lives in Chicago. She bought him a plane ticket so he could come visit her. He's going to start his trip in Louisiana and work his way north." I explained.

"And he's going to our prom?" Tara looked horrified. I could only nod my head with excitement.

"Please, Tara, try to be nice. I know you think he's a jerk, but he's not. He's really sweet. And he's funny and..." I trailed off.

"That's all you got? Sweet and funny?" Tara looked me up and down.

"I want you to decide for yourself."

"I already decided. He's no good for you, Sook."

I sighed heavily. I should have known Tara would rain on my parade. "You're just saying that because he put you in your place."

Tara looked offended, which I suppose maybe she had a right to. "I'm saying that because eventually he's going to go back to the Mother Land, and where is that going to leave you? Don't think I don't know you have the mother of all crushes on this guy. I know you, Sookie. Every time you mention Eric, you get this big dopey look in your eyes. I get it. I may not like him, but I'm not blind. He's gorgeous."

"Who's gorgeous?" Arlene decided that was the right time to pop up. Shit.

"Eric." Tara dropped his name like she couldn't hold it anymore.

"You mean the pen pal from second grade?" Arlene looked at me. She knew damn well who Eric was.

"Yes, that Eric," I confirmed for her. My good mood was officially gone. Damn it.

"I can't believe you still talk to him," Arlene shook her head. She wasn't impressed.

"He's coming here," Tara dropped the bomb for me. "He's taking Sook to prom."

Arlene looked horrified. "You're going to your senior prom with a foreigner?"

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. "You two are horrible."

"Say what?" They said after sharing a glance.

"I like Eric. Y'all don't have to, but I do. He's been a good friend to me, and I'm excited to meet him face to face. I'd like to think that my friends would be happy for me, but apparently y'all forgot what it is to be a friend." I stormed off, not really wanting to see either one of them for the rest of the day.

"Sookie!" I froze at the sound of the last voice I wanted to hear. "Good morning, Bill," I said when he sidled up next to me.

"Here, this is for you," He handed me a little wrapped box.

"What's this?"

"I wanted to run it by your house last night, but I got caught up with some computer science homework. I really want to ace the final." Bill Compton was a nice enough guy. He was sweet on me, but I just couldn't see us as anything more than friends.

"I'm sure you'll do well. You've always been real good with computers." I smiled at him.

"Open it." Bill nodded toward the box.

"Oh, Bill, I think I'll just wait until I get home later."

"No, go on. I'm sorry I missed your birthday yesterday. I forgot you wouldn't be at school."

There was an eager look on his face, and since I was too nice to tell him for the hundredth time that we were never going to date, I decided the least I could do was open his gift. I carefully removed the paper from the box and then opened it. I looked inside to see a pretty necklace with a pink pearl on the end of it. It was beautiful.

"Bill, this is too much." I sputtered and tried to hand it back.

"Don't be silly. The second I saw it, I knew it was made for you." He pulled the chain from the box and went about clasping it around my throat. He leaned in close to me as he did so. "Happy birthday, Sookie," he whispered in my ear and then kissed my cheek. It was a pretty gutsy move.

"Thank you, Bill." On a scale of discomfort, I think I was somewhere around a forty-three.

"So, listen, I was thinking since neither of us have dates, maybe we could go to prom together."

My eyes caught his for a moment and then I looked away. I deflated just a little. I didn't want to hurt him. "About that..."

"Oh, you have a date?"

"Yeah. I sort of asked someone yesterday."

"Sort of?"

"Well, he doesn't go to school here."

"Oh. Oh, I get it." Bill looked angry and stepped back.

"It was a last minute thing."

"No, it's fine. You have a good time, Sookie." Bitter. I could understand. I'd rejected him. Again. That couldn't be fun for him.

"Bill..." I called out after him but he just kept on walking. It was probably for the best.

I didn't find my good mood again until the next weekend when I got an email from Eric telling me he'd changed his flight plans. He'd sent the email when it was three in the morning, my time. I got up late, having stayed up to get some studying in so I could enjoy my weekend. School was winding down and finals were fast approaching. Only two more weeks until prom, and then finals started the following Monday.

I screamed like a school girl, which technically, I am, and bolted for the stairs to share my good news with Mom. She was mopping the kitchen floor, dancing and singing along with the radio. Mom couldn't dance worth a darn, but she had a voice I would never have. I envied her that talent just as much as she envied the fact that I could dance so well.

"Morning, sunshine," Mom stopped dancing long enough to kiss my cheek.

"Mom, you are never going to believe the email I just got!" I gushed, staying right where I was outside the kitchen since I was barefooted.

"Oh?" Mom stopped mopping again to look at me.

"I got an email from Eric. He's coming in on Wednesday instead of Friday."

"Honey, that's wonderful," Mom gave me a heartfelt smile, though I knew she had her reservations about Eric coming to visit.

My parents had reluctantly agreed to let him stay with us to spare him the cost of a hotel, providing he understood that he was never to be alone with me in my bedroom with the door closed. He would also be sleeping in the guest room right across the hall from their bedroom. Any attempts from either one of us to sneak in, or out, of that room would result in Eric being turned out on his rear end and I would be grounded. Eric had sworn, over video chat with my parents, that he would respect their rules. My parents trusted me, but they had no reason to trust Eric. Frankly, I was a bit surprised they made the offer at all. I was prepared to go talk to Sam about seeing if one of the apartments he owned was available.

I guess the way my parents saw it, it was better for Eric to stay with us where they could keep an eye out than for him to be alone in some hotel where we could get into any kind of trouble. By that, I figured they had assumed we'd be spending his entire visit humping like bunnies, and neither of them were anxious to be grandparents just yet. That suited me just fine, since I had no desire to be a mother just yet. I could only imagine the look on Eric's face if I told him I was pregnant with his baby.

But again, we were all getting ahead of ourselves. Mom had even gone so far as to suggest I consider going on the pill. My eyebrows had shot into my hairline at that. Just what did she expect? I guess that was my first clue that everyone was on to me where Eric was concerned. I loved him, no doubt about it, and I'd shared more than a few gushing stories with my Mom over the last decade.

"Are you sure you don't want to go visit Dr. Ludwig?" She whispered since Daddy was walking around the house with heavy feet. I was willing to bet Daddy didn't know about Mom's suggestion.

"Mom, I really don't think that's necessary. Eric and I are just friends." I could barely get the second sentence out of my mouth.

Mom leaned the mop up against the counter and then reached a hand out to me. "Come on."

"The floor's wet."

"So? Come on. Your feet'll dry in the sun." Mom nodded for me to follow her out the kitchen door.

I hopped across the floor as gracefully as I could and followed Mom away from the house. She looked over my shoulder to make sure Daddy and Jason hadn't followed and weren't anywhere in the yard. It was already hot and sticky outside and it was just barely eleven in the morning. As soon as we were done with what I was sure would be another sex talk, I was going to go inside and get into my bikini and take advantage of the sun. Maybe I'd do a little more reading while I was out there.

"Honey, your father would probably file for divorce if he heard me telling you this," Oh this wasn't going to end well. I could already feel myself starting a pre-emptive blush. I really hoped this wasn't one of her over-share sex stories. "But you're young, and Eric is ... well, he's gorgeous."

"Mom..." I whined.

She waved a hand at me. "I know, I know, I'm your mother and that's probably grossing you out to no end. I get it." Her tone dropped like she was afraid we were going to get busted. "You know I always told you when it comes to boys to be smart. Your heart can get you into a lot of trouble if you're not using your head. The two should be working together in matters like these. It's easy to just turn it all off and let your body do what it wants to do, and when you're in a loving relationship, you should do that."

"Eric and I aren't like that, Mom."

"You don't know that, sweetheart. You've had ten years to get to know one another. You know each other pretty well, but there's a whole new world you're about to step into where he's concerned."

"I know that." I wasn't sure what she was trying to tell me. "What's the point here, Mom? You're not making a whole lot of sense."

Mom sighed and then regaled me with the story of a summer romance before she met Daddy. I listened, if only because she skipped a lot of the more sordid details. I sure as hell didn't want to hear a single word about my mother's sex life. It was bad enough I knew she'd done it those two times Jason and I were conceived. That was more than enough for me. Jason and I both turned a blind eye to their locked bedroom door on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. It was none of our business and we didn't want to know.

Although, if I were to be completely honest about it, I thought it was sweet. It was obvious to me my parents loved each other. My father had set a pretty high standard in my life for any other man who might want to be a part of it. There was a big part of me that was hoping Eric would be that man.

"Mom, I'm not going on the pill," I told her when she told me about her experience with it.

"I want you to be safe, sweetheart. I don't want you to get caught up in the moment and be sorry for it later."

"Not to burst your bubble, Mom, but I know a thing or two about the pill. I could start on it tomorrow and it wouldn't be effective by the time he got here. Not that I have any plans to hop in the sack with him anyway."

Mom smiled at me, biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing. "You say that now, but you might feel differently when he gets here."

"Are you telling me I should have sex with Eric? Is that what you're getting at?" I was dumbfounded.

"I'm telling you to use your head and follow your heart." Mom patted my arm.

"Shelly! Do you need the oven on? It's hotter than Satan's undershorts in here!" Daddy hollered from the porch.

Mom and I burst out laughing. Daddy was always finding interesting ways to describe the heat. "Sookie's breakfast is in there, but you can shut it off!" Mom turned to me with a smile on her face. "I've been married to that man for twenty-three years and I love him a little more each year. That's what I want for you, baby."

"That's what I want, too." Maybe I'd find it when it arrived on a plane from Sweden.

* * *

**EPOV**

My parents had little to say about my trip to America, other than to ask me when I would be coming back. They weren't thrilled that I hadn't made plans for college. As their only child, I suppose I could understand their concern. But they had never been imposing parents. My father had no misguided dreams of me someday following in his footsteps to become a corporate accountant. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew I didn't want to spend it behind a desk crunching numbers. My mother had stayed home until I was in junior high school. After that, she'd gone back to work for the city of Stockholm in the commerce department.

My parents were the very definition of average. It was easy to see they wanted something better for me than they had for themselves. I knew I was more than smart enough to sail through college, so that wasn't an issue. I just had a general lack of ambition. I was quite content to see what opportunities presented themselves to me. So far, the greatest opportunity had been Aunt Maggie buying me a plane ticket to go to America. I figured I would be crazy to turn it down.

I wasn't married. I didn't have children or a job. I wanted to see what else was in the world. It would be foolish to turn away that chance when I had nothing holding me back. The decision to leave sooner had more to do with an argument I had with my mother than anything else. My father seemed to understand my reasons for holding off on choosing a career path. My mother, on the other hand, worried for me. It was a very motherly thing to do. I didn't hold it against her, but I didn't want to listen to her nag me either.

It also dawned on me that arriving the day of Sookie's dance might be a mistake. I knew there was little chance I would get much sleep before I left. I planned to sleep on the plane as much as possible, but that plan could easily be ruined with a single screaming child. I was beyond excited when she emailed me back to tell me she was thrilled I'd be arriving sooner. I couldn't wait to see her.

I didn't much care about the pomp and circumstance that surrounded graduation. I knew I had finished. Wearing a silly robe and getting a piece of paper didn't matter much to me. I went because it made my parents happy. It gave my mother a new picture to hang on the refrigerator. I figured that might be the last thing I'd do to make them happy for a while. I could take one for the team.

My parents had met Sookie's parents via webcam. My father's English wasn't as good as my mother's, but it seemed they all understood one another well enough. I actually left the room when I noticed Sookie was out of sight of the camera. I assumed somewhere, thousands of miles away, she had done the same thing. I went downstairs to the kitchen to make myself a snack while I waited for them to finish talking. I overheard bits and pieces of the conversation but tried not to listen in on it too much. I know my mother traded email addresses with Sookie's mother. That didn't bother me at all. I understood why her parents were leery of having me stay in their house.

That was Sookie's idea, however. I was perfectly happy to stay in a hotel somewhere nearby, but she had mentioned how silly it was for me to pay for a hotel room when I could stay in the spare room in her house. The conversation with her parents about the ground rules for such a thing was a bit on the awkward side. I don't know what they expected, exactly. Did they think I was coming a couple thousand miles just to sex up their daughter the whole time? Not that I would complain if that ended up being the case, but that wasn't the purpose of my visit.

In fact, I tried not to think along those lines at all. I didn't want to put pressure on Sookie to do something she didn't want to do. Given that she'd never once made mention of us being anything other than friends, I sincerely doubted it was likely we'd be having any sexual encounters at all. I can't say that wasn't a disappointing thought. I'd been thinking of Sookie in increasingly sexual ways for the last few years. I was pretty sure the second I saw her I'd have a hard time keeping the lower half of my body from standing up and taking notice.

My father had agreed to take me to the airport since my flight was leaving late at night. I would be arriving in New York at about seven in the morning. From there I would fly to Dallas, Texas. Then I would be taking a small commuter flight to Shreveport where Sookie had agreed she would pick me up. In spite of her mother's protests, she had insisted she come alone to get me. I'd overheard part of the battle between her and her mother. It had gotten pretty vicious. In the end, Sookie had reminded her parents that she wasn't stupid and that they had ways of contacting my parents if anything happened. Besides, I had absolutely no intention of harming Sookie whatsoever. Still, they were just doing their job as parents.

I talked to Sookie via webcam for the last time the afternoon before my flight. She was getting ready for school that morning and had woken up early to talk to me. She sat on her bed, wrapped in the luckiest towel in the world with her damp hair clinging to her shoulders. Even soaking wet, she looked gorgeous. I was fucked.

"Well good morning, gorgeous." I greeted her, earning myself one of those adorable blushes of hers.

"You hush. I look terrible."

"Nonsense. A little damp, perhaps, but still beautiful."

"Yeah, yeah, lay it on thick, buster." She rolled her eyes. She was always dismissive of a compliment I paid her. I wondered why. She had to know she was beautiful. "You're all packed, right?"

"My bags are by the door, just waiting to be loaded into the car." I nodded and sat back in my desk chair.

"I have a secret." Sookie leaned in closer to the computer, a nervous look on her face.

The sun was just starting to rise in America. The sky was lightening up behind her, sunlight just starting to come through her windows. It gave her this halo effect that made her even more beautiful. I never would have thought that was possible.

"Do you?" She nodded and looked at what I assumed was probably her bedroom door to make sure no one was coming close to her room. "You want to save it for later?"

She shook her head and bit her lower lip. "You're going to think I'm crazy."

"I already think that." I teased her because I knew it would loosen her up a little. She stuck her tongue out at me, which did little to help ease any discomfort I might have been feeling in that moment.

"You're not helping." She huffed after putting her perfectly pink tongue back in her mouth.

"I'm sorry. Please continue."

Sookie bit her lip again, her brows furrowing together while she figure out the right words. "Are you scared?"

"Of flying?"

"No, not that." She stood up and disappeared from view for a moment, but I could still hear her.

"Of what, Sookie?"

"Well, I mean, we know each other, but we don't, you know? I guess I'm just worried that once we're in the same room we'll see each other differently. You've been my best friend for a really long time. I don't want to lose that."

It killed me not being able to reach out and hold her hand while she said those things. I wanted to be able to look her in the eye (and without the filter of a camera between us) and reassure her that wasn't going to happen. "I won't answer you until I can look at you."

When Sookie came back into sight she was dressed in a pair of capri pants that sat low on her hips and a wife-beater. Her hair was still damp, but it was a bit curlier than before. God, she was gorgeous. I swallowed hard and hoped I didn't look like a goon.

"We're friends, Sookie. That isn't going to change. I promise you that."

She nodded with sad eyes and I wondered if I just said something wrong. "I hope you're right."

"It's going to be great. You'll see."

"Yeah." She smiled but it wasn't her real smile. "Look, I have to get going. Call me when you land in Dallas so I know when to leave."

"I will. Just think, in a little more than twenty-four hours we'll be in the same place at the same time." I couldn't help but smile at that.

She nodded, her eyes all teary. "It's pretty crazy."

"I'll see you tomorrow." It felt good to say that and mean it.

"Yep. See you tomorrow. Fly safe." She blew me a kiss and then she was gone.

I went straight to the shower.

* * *

**Isn't that cute? They're both so crazy about each other and the other doesn't know *sigh* To be young again...**

**Reviews are awesome and much appreciated. If you've got guesses as to what the prom theme is, I'd love to hear them! Oh, and, if anyone wants to suggest songs for a roadtrip playlist, I'm totally down with that, too. I love making fanmixes, so I'd love to put one together to post in my profile for this story.**

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	3. Oh, It Is Love

Seriously, I am overwhelmed with how many reviews, favorites, alerts and whatever else I've gotten from all of you in just two chapters. My inbox has never been so busy! I really, really appreciate it. I have tried to respond to each and every one of your reviews, but I apologize if I accidentally skipped you. Rest assured I have read them all, and I appreciated your kindness. Big thanks to **hearttorn** for being a super amazing beta and getting this chapter back to me so quickly. Any remaining mistakes are mine. I meant to post it last night before I went out for the night but I dragged ass on getting ready and then I ran out of time. *sigh* I've gotten almost 9 chapters written, so there's a ton of story left to tell. *yawn* I think I better take my behind to bed. I've been up almost 24 hours. Annnnnnnnnnnnd I'm done rambling.

**I do not own any of these characters. I just thought it'd be fun to take them on a roadtrip.**

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* * *

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**Chapter Three: Oh, It Is Love**

**EPOV**

The flight to New York was much better than I'd anticipated. I slept most of the time. Taking a late flight had been a good idea. The flight from New York to Dallas was another story. It was decidedly less pleasant, and it was a good thing I'd slept on the flight from Stockholm. I landed in Dallas at just after three. It wouldn't take long to fly to Shreveport from there. I turned on my cell phone and dialed Sookie's number. She had long ago been pre**-**programmed into my speed dial. She sounded out of breath when she answered.

"You're in Dallas?"

"Hello to you, too." I laughed.

"Sorry. I've just been having horrible visions of **...** well, never mind."

"Yes, I'm in Dallas. Yes, I'm in one piece. I almost had to choke a small child, but I'm here."

Sookie laughed and it was a wonderful sound. "Aww**,** take it easy on 'em. Flying is boring for little kids. All they want to do is run around. Besides, the flight to Shreveport will be over before you know it."

"You're still going to meet me, right? You're not going to change your mind and ditch me?"

Sookie scoffed at the notion. "Damn it, who told you?"

"Funny." I knew she was kidding.

"Look, about what I said yesterday..." She trailed off.

"Don't worry about it, Sookie. I think it's normal to be nervous. I understood what you meant."

"Good." She breathed a sigh of relief.

An announcement for my flight came overhead. "I have to go. My plane is boarding. I'll see you soon."

"Yep, you will. You'll be sick of me before you know it."

"Doubt it. Drive safe." I hung up and dashed toward the plane. Suddenly, I couldn't get to Shreveport fast enough.

The nervousness Sookie had been feeling the day before was finally starting to hit me. I was nervous for different reasons than her, though. I wasn't worried our friendship was suddenly going to disappear. Honestly, I couldn't quite understand why she would be worried about that, either. Our friendship had only gotten better once we'd started talking on webcams instead of in letters. Although I will admit I enjoyed getting the occasional piece of mail from her. Seems that there were still some things she just couldn't bring herself to say out loud. I found her modesty to be sweet, rather than annoying. Not to mention, she usually enclosed pictures when she sent me mail.

While the pictures were probably perfectly innocent to anyone else, they were the start of many sexual thoughts and fantasies for me. I found it almost impossible to believe she hadn't been snapped up by some equally horny teenage boy who was more readily available to her than I was. If it weren't for our webcam chats, I might think maybe she wasn't nearly as perfect as her letters and pictures suggested. Pictures could easily be doctored to look like just about anything**,** and she could say whatever she wanted in her letters. I would be none the wiser to what a butterface she was before arriving in Shreveport.

But I'd spent countless hours in front of a computer talking to her. I knew the expressions her face made when certain emotions hit, or the way her mouth would gape open when I'd say something she thought was too racy or inappropriate. I could just imagine what it would be like to make some sort of suggestive comment in front of her while we were together. I imagined her punching my arm or slapping my thigh and telling me to hush the way she always did. It would take all the control I had not to pounce on her.

Maybe her parents were right to lay down the law. The more I thought about Sookie, the more I wanted her. I was in way over my head.

The flight to Shreveport took no time at all and before I knew it, I was disembarking from the plane. The flight attendant gave me what was probably her best flirty smile as I walked off the plane. She was probably in her mid-twenties. If I weren't already about to meet up with the girl I considered to be the hottest on the planet, the flight attendant wouldn't have been a bad hook up. As it was, I was eager to get through the gate to find Sookie.

My height came as a real advantage at that point. I was easily three or four inches taller than most of the other men on my flight. Spotting Sookie was easy. She was pacing back and forth, nibbling on the tip of her thumb. She was dressed in a pale yellow sundress almost the same color as her hair. She was wearing flip-flops. And, God help me, her hair was parted into pigtails. I groaned at the sight of her.

I don't know if she heard me, but she chose that moment to look up. She looked right at me and froze. We both did. I just stood there like a buffoon, praying I wasn't drooling all over myself and willing the hard-on that was starting to go away. I thought about anything I could to make it stop: football, cancer, road kill...

Sookie smiled at me and I was done for. I started walking again, amazed that I still had legs. I dropped my carryon bag and kept on walking. She opened her mouth to say something but the only sound that came out was a squeak when I picked her up off the floor and hugged her. Her arms went around my neck and she squeezed tightly. She was warm and light. She felt perfectly against me. I tried not to think about her breasts being pressed against me. It would undo all of my hard (ha ha) thinking about less pleasant things.

I breathed in the smell of her hair. It was like cinnamon and flowers. Her skin was soft and silky. I smelled a hint of coconut on her, which meant she'd been out in the sun again. She wiggled against me and I almost dropped her. She squeaked again and laughed before pulling her face back to look at me.

"Am I that heavy?" Her eyes caught mine.

I did the only thing I could think of. I kissed her. She pulled back immediately. "Sorry."

Our eyes locked again and I could tell she was thinking things over. I could practically see the wheels turning her mind. She took a deep breath that pressed her chest closer to mine. She fussed with my hair for a second while her eyes searched mine. Then she attacked me. It was completely unplanned and unexpected. Not to mention, totally hot. I didn't let her go until neither of us could breathe.

I set her down on her feet and our foreheads pressed together. She was standing on the tips of her toes. Her breath was warm against my neck. She tasted like pineapple, which was completely unexpected. She clutched at my t-shirt and then tilted her face up to meet mine.

"Hi," she whispered, a sheepish smile on her face.

"Hi." I tucked a loose piece of hair back behind her ear.

"I um, I wasn't planning on attacking you in the middle of the airport." She was bright red. Adorable.

"I'm not complaining." I grinned at her. She was perfect. I would have to find out what Mrs. Anderson's **- **the teacher who got us to be pen pals** -** first name was so we could name our first daughter after her**,** if we ever got that far.

"You hush!" Sookie slapped my arm. I think I officially fell in love with her right there.

"We should probably go get my bags." I suggested.

"Yeah," she nodded.

She slipped her hand in mine and we headed off to collect my luggage.

* * *

**SPOV**

Tara had tried to talk me into letting her come with me to pick up Eric. I figured there was no way in God's creation that was going to happen. I didn't need her giving him the stink eye the whole time. She'd be mean enough to him at prom. If it wasn't for the fact that Mom had spent more money than she'd planned on my dress, I'd probably ditch the whole thing altogether. But money had already been laid out and I wasn't going to be wasteful. I would just have to make due.

I chomped on gum the whole way to the airport to keep my throat from going completely dry. I was nervous as all get out over Eric's arrival. I managed to get myself together enough to drive. I liked driving. It helped clear my head. Aside from lying in the sun, there was nothing that cleared my head better than putting down all the windows, turning up the stereo and driving. I always felt better after taking a long drive to nowhere.

Only this time, my long drive was definitely to somewhere. I tried to empty my head but it was a losing battle I was fighting. By the time I got to the airport**,** I was certain Eric was going to take one look at me and get back on the plane. I don't know why I thought that **- **he knew what I looked like, it wouldn't come as some big surprise to him. It's not like some of the girls I knew who made dates over facebook or myspace, only to find out their date wasn't exactly who they advertised themselves to be. I knew Eric. Or at least I knew him as well as I could for never having been in the same room as him.

There was a moment of sheer panic when I parked the car at the airport when I considered bolting. I was being ridiculous and I told myself I was freaking out for nothing. I was letting the voices of others get in my head and do a number on me. My parents were okay with Eric coming to stay with us. Mom was excited for me. Dad was nervous in the way a father should be. Jason, thankfully, was still away at school for another week so he wouldn't be there to give Eric some stupid big brother pep talk.

Then again, I would have loved to see Jason attempt to intimidate Eric. Ha! My brother might be strong in our neck of the woods, but Eric was no wimp. He was easily six inches taller than Jason and probably outweighed him by a good thirty pounds, if not more. Besides, giving Eric one of those talks wasn't necessary. We were just friends.

That's what freaked me out. I'd told him I was worried about our friendship changing, and Eric had promised me that wouldn't happen. I knew he meant it in a good way, as if to say there was no way he was going to just take his friendship from me without telling me. I appreciated that, but at the same time the way I saw Eric was starting to change. I wasn't just thinking of him as a friend anymore. Not that I had the guts to say so.

We never talked about relationships**,** but I found it hard to believe he didn't have some Swedish Bikini Team girlfriend stashed around somewhere. He was too freaking gorgeous to be sitting at home waiting for some childhood friend to send him a chat on the internet. Certainly he had better things to do. I knew he had friends. He talked about them as often as I talked about mine. I'd told him about Bill and immediately wondered if maybe that was a mistake. I didn't want to seem like I was flaunting Bill to make him jealous.

Eric's response had been, "Just wait until I get there. If he makes so much as one comment, he'll be sorry."

Bill had been nothing but rude to me since giving me my birthday present. I'd tried to give it back to him but he refused to take it. Eric explained to me that it was a male pride thing. I just rolled my eyes. When I showed him Bill's picture from our junior year yearbook, Eric also suggested Bill might be suffering from some form of Napoleon Complex. I laughed since it seemed like a ridiculous idea, but maybe he was onto something.

Eric could always find a way to make me laugh, even when I didn't want to. That alone was reason enough for me to get over myself and go inside to wait for him. On top of that, Eric had spent almost a full day flying just so he could spend some time with me. I took deep breaths to keep myself from hyperventilating. The arrivals board told me Eric's flight was time and should be pulling up to the gate in a matter of minutes.

I paced the floor and watched out the big windows as planes took off and landed. Finally, a plane taxied to the gate. I froze for a moment and wondered if Eric could see me in the window. I thought about waving but realized how ridiculous that would be. I stepped back from the window and resumed my pacing. I nibbled on the tip of my thumb as the door to the gate opened. I reminded myself to take deep breaths. I could do this. It was just Eric. What was I so freaked out about?

People started coming off the plane. I couldn't look. I wanted to. I wanted nothing more than to see his face. I wanted to see his bright smile. I wanted to take a breath that felt like it meant something other than air in my lungs. I wanted to lose those damn jitters and get on with my life. I wanted to feel normal.

And then I looked up and he was there. He froze right where he was and another passenger almost walked right into his back. He looked confused, like he was debating something in his head. I smiled at the woman who looked a bit dazed by the wall of Swede that had blocked her path. The next thing I knew, Eric was marching toward me. He dropped his bag mid-stride.

I opened my mouth to greet him, but found myself being swept up in his arms. Strong arms. Long arms. Warm arms. And I fit so well in them. I couldn't breathe and I wanted to. I wanted to know what he smelled like, as weird as that sounds. I hoped he wasn't one of those guys who went overboard on the cologne because they thought it was an acceptable replacement for deodorant or clean clothing. I could see that he was in need of a shave, since his face usually appeared to be rather smooth; although, I kind of liked the scruff on him. It looked good. Hell, Eric always looked good.

I loosened my grip around his neck and looked him in the eyes. Oh, those eyes. I was a goner right then and there. Eyes were a big deal to me, and his spoke volumes. I wasn't sure what they were saying, but they were definitely trying to tell me something. I wiggled just a little bit and his grip loosened on me. I squeaked like I had when he first picked me up.

"Am I that heavy?" I joked since it was what we always did when we got into intense conversations.

His answer was a kiss. It was too brief, by my standards, but it caught me completely off guard. "Sorry." Figures**,** that the first words out of his mouth would be an apology.

I felt horrible for that. That wasn't how it was supposed to go. This was supposed to be a great story we could tell our **...** well, something that we would always remember. I bit my cheek and told myself I could do this. No guts, no glory, right? So, before I could second guess myself any further **-** and give Eric a complex in the process **-** I pounced on him. Since he was already holding me up, it didn't take much.

His lips were soft and surprisingly sweet for someone who had been traveling for as long as he had. My fingers snuck into his hair as our faces tilted from one side to the other. I'd kissed a few boys**,** but not a single one of them had me feeling anything like I was just then. If I hadn't been in the middle of an airport wearing a sundress, I probably would have wrapped my legs around his waist. We kissed until we were out of breath.

I barely remember my feet touching the ground. I remember feeling his forehead against mine and his breath falling feather light on my face. God, he smelled good. I clutched at his shirt, hoping to draw in air quickly so I could kiss him again. He was too good a kisser not to.

"Hi." I whispered instead, my eyes meeting his.

"Hi." He whispered right back and his fingertips grazed my neck, making me shiver.

"I um, I wasn't planning on attacking you in the airport." It wasn't until after I said it that I realized how that might have sounded. I mentally slapped myself for it.

"You don't see me complaining," he teased. That was my Eric. I instantly relaxed.

"You hush!" I slapped his arm playfully and I heard him groan, even though he tried to stifle the sound. What was that about? I couldn't have hurt him.

"We should probably go get my bags." He suggested a moment later.

Or you could be naked the entire trip. I'd be okay with that. "Yeah," I agreed, my brain betraying my body. Suddenly**,** I understood what my Mom was talking about that day she pulled me out in the yard. She was always right. I should have known better.

Eric took my hand and we walked to baggage claim to retrieve his bags. I was surprised by how little he'd brought with him, considering there was a possibility he would be in America for several months. We had a washer and dryer at home, but still. I led him out to the car and opened the trunk for him so he could stowe his bags before getting in the passenger's seat. I had barely closed my door when he pulled my face to his.

"Thank you for meeting me." His eyes were so intensely blue. His lips were really, really close to mine.

"I thought about letting you hitchhike." I joked and bit my bottom lip. There was that groan again. "Are you okay?"

"Better than okay," he didn't take his eyes from mine. "You're a good kisser, Sookie."

My face felt like it was on fire and it made him smile. "Thanks," I mumbled.

"You're beautiful when you change colors like that." He had such a way with words.

"You hush." I said and went to slap him again but his mouth was back on mine.

I pushed the armrest that was between us out of the way so we could get closer to one another. We spent the next fifteen minutes making out in the front seat of my Mom's car until finally my hand went all spazzy on me and hit the horn by accident. It made both of us jump and then we laughed. That was the end of that.

"You're not so bad yourself." I licked my lips, savoring the taste of him.

The idea that we were moving too fast crossed my mind but I rationalized it by saying that I'd known him for a lot longer than most engaged couples knew each other before getting married. Besides, we were young and curious. What we were doing was natural. Making out for a while wouldn't hurt anyone, would it? Or would it just make it harder to say goodbye when the time came?

I started the car so he would know that playtime was over, only that didn't stop him from kissing me at red lights or holding my hand as we drove back to Bon Temps. I didn't feel nervous anymore. I felt right. It was like whatever it was that had been missing, was suddenly found. Was Eric what I had been waiting for?

We shared a few glances at one another, but not many since I was driving. I could feel him looking at me and each time I looked back at him, he smiled like he'd just won the lottery. I felt the same way. I knew, without a word from him, that he'd been harboring the same secret I had. The question was, for how long had he been harboring it? Did that really matter?

By the time we got back to my house it was just after dinnertime, but Mom had promised to hold things up until we got back. Eric had promised he wasn't a very picky eater and based on the size of him, I figured he was probably telling me the truth about that. I pulled the car in around back of the house where we always parked. I wasn't the least bit surprised to see my parents come flying out of the house a few seconds later. They couldn't have been more obvious about waiting for us to pull in, only they looked more somber than I expected. The way Mom's arms were crossed over her chest suggested she and Daddy had argued while I was gone.

"Oh, hell," I muttered, getting a nervous laugh out of Eric.

"What's wrong?" His large thumb stroked the back of my hand.

Nothing. Just don't stop touching me. "I think my parents had a fight while I was gone."

"How can you tell?" Eric seemed amused by my theory.

"Well, Mom's got a scowl the size of a Chevy on her face and Daddy's still wearing his boots."

"That's your evidence?" Eric arched an eyebrow at me.

I laughed, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. "I know it sounds crazy, but I know those two. Trust me, something ugly happened while I was gone."

"As long as they don't take it out on you," Eric gave me a comforting smile and then boldly raised my hand to kiss the back of it.

I just stared at him until Mom came around and opened my door. "Honey, you planning on coming out of there some time tonight?"

I took a deep breath. What I wanted, right in that moment, was to pounce on Eric again. Ten years of not being able to was rearing its ugly head. Yep, it was definitely a smart idea for my parents to lay down the rules for the sleeping arrangements earlier or I had no doubt that I'd end up sneaking into his room. My brain hadn't gone so far as sex just yet. For now, I was perfectly content to just kiss him.

"Sookie?" Mom called to me and I snapped back into my body.

"We're coming, Mama," I winked at Eric, and then had to take my hand back so I could get out of the car.

Mom had already hit the trunk release and Dad was at the back of the car going after Eric's luggage. I introduced Eric to my parents, even though I wasn't really necessary for me to do that since they'd sort of met over one of our video chats. Eric had also spoken to each of my parents a time or two when he'd called the house before I got my cell phone. He was friendly and respectful with them, which only made me like him more. I wouldn't tolerate anything less.

Daddy took the lead and went into the house first with Eric's bags. The house smelled delicious. Mom was making Sunday supper on a Wednesday, which was a big deal. During the week we usually ate pretty light around my house. We saved all the big time cooking for Sunday after church. Gran would come by on alternate weeks. If she wasn't here for supper, she was at Aunt Linda's. As if on cue, another car came up our long driveway. Mom excused herself to see to our company while I lead Eric around the house.

"It's very different from houses in Sweden," Eric told me as we moved from room to room.

"Oh, I bet it is. It's got a lot of history, though," I looked around at all of the old photos hanging on the walls. I told him the history of our house and how I was the fifth generation of Stackhouses to live in it.

"That's pretty impressive." He smiled at me, though I wasn't sure he was being one hundred percent honest there.

I shrugged all the same. "I think so."

I took Eric upstairs and showed him Jason's bedroom on the right. It was remarkably clean but that was only because he wasn't back to living in it full time. He would be home from school in a few weeks, and then the room would look like a couple of wild hogs were living in there and it would smell like a sweat sock. My brother, though I love him, wasn't really that tidy. Yet, I was looking forward to having him home. I selfishly hoped Eric would still be around by the time Jason got here.

"Okay, so this is my room." I put my hand on my bedroom door.

"I can tell. I've seen those before." Eric pointed to the butterflies that were on my door. They were remnants from a slight obsession I'd had back when I was about eleven. I hadn't taken them down because I still thought they were pretty. "Girls are strange creatures."

I elbowed him playfully and opened the door. In contrast to my brother's room, mine looked and smelled lived in. I'd made sure all of my dirty laundry was up off the floor. My bed was made and I'd dusted my dresser, night stand and the small desk in the corner. My shoes were all put away in my closet (I was horrible about that) and my curtains were tucked back in their restraints so there was a nice view of the woods out back.

My room had once been my Aunt Linda's room when she was a little girl. The second floor bedrooms were relatively new additions that my Gran and Grandad had built when Gran was expecting Daddy. Since Linda's room was already painted a pretty shade of yellow when I was born, Mom saw no reason to change it. I was glad it wasn't pink. I liked pink, but it would have been too much for me.

Eric commented on my desk and I smiled with pride. "My Grandad built that with his own two hands for my Aunt Linda when she was old enough to need it. In fact, every piece of furniture in this room was built by one Stackhouse or another." That was the God's honest truth. I came from a family of very self-sufficient people.

"Your house is like a museum of family history," Eric said as he looked around.

"That's one way of looking at it." I nodded.

Eric flopped back on my bed and I about melted into a puddle of goo. "Comfy." He grinned at me. I nodded my agreement. He patted the bed next to himself and I felt a shiver run down my spine.

"I don't think that's a good idea," I whispered. I wasn't so much worried about someone coming upstairs **-** which I should have been **-** so much as I was worried I'd never want to leave my bed. As it was, my pillows were going to smell like him. No way was I going to get much sleep that night.

"Sookie! Eric! Come on down here!" Mom called from the bottom of the steps.

Eric was up like a flash and grabbing for my hand to tow me along behind him. "Wouldn't want them to get the wrong idea." He winked and down the stairs we went. He was a smooth one.

I introduced Eric to Aunt Linda, who gave Eric an appraising stare. "It's nice to meet you." Eric offered his free hand to Aunt Linda.

"Likewise. Well, aren't you a tall glass of cold water?" Was Aunt Linda flirting with Eric?

Mom laughed nervously while I stood there with my mouth open, catching flies. Eric laughed at the situation. Daddy came out of the guest room and barked at Linda to cut it out. I recovered my manners long enough to ask Eric if he wanted something to drink. Mom and Aunt Linda retreated to the kitchen, while Daddy parked himself in the living room to watch television.

"I'm fine, thank you." Eric declined my drink offer.

I showed him where the guest bathroom was and where he could find spare towels or sheets just in case he needed them. Then I showed him the guest room. Daddy had left Eric's bags near the closet. I'd made up the bed with fresh sheets earlier that day. Not at all to my surprise, Eric flopped down on that bed as well. I took a seat next to him, but didn't lay back.

"So, what do you think?" I looked over my shoulder at him.

He was stretched out with his hands behind his head. He looked yummy lying there like that. I sat on my hands to keep them from wandering where they had no business going. Eric smiled at me and sat up. His face got increasingly closer to mine. One his massive hands gently pulled me closer by my neck until our foreheads were touching again.

"I think this was the best present Aunt Maggie could have given me." He kissed me again and I had to pull back before we got carried away like we did in the car.

"Sorry." I apologized, hoping he knew I wasn't rejecting him because I wasn't interested.

"There's plenty of time for that." He whispered and I was sure he had every intention of making sure that wasn't the last kiss he got out of me before he moved north. I nodded my agreement.

"Come on, kids! Dinner!" Mom called from the kitchen.

Eric kissed me once more anyway and then we went to join my family for his first southern meal.

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**Okay, they've met. It's official! I think it's also pretty clear they're crazy about each other, but in true Eric and Sookie fashion, it'll be a few more chapters before either of them thinks to vocalize that fact. Those crazy kids *sigh* Reviews are love.**

**Thanks for reading!  
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	4. Confessions

Since you all have been so generous and kind with your reviews and whatnot (I have just a few more alerts than I do reviews at this point *squee*), I thought I'd post another chapter today since **hearttorn** was awesome enough to send two more beta'd chapters my way. Oh, and all of your thoughts about horny Aunt Linda made me laugh, so thank you for that, too. I'll try to get another chapter posted tomorrow before the Hawks v. Flyers game starts.

**I do not own any of these characters, but they'd root for the Blackhawks if I did.**

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**Chapter Four: Confessions**

**SPOV**

I left Eric in the dining room with Daddy after making him promise not to be too hard on Eric. Daddy gave me his word and winked at Eric. I shook my head in defeat and then went to the kitchen to help Mom get the rest of dinner together to bring to the dining room. I could hear Daddy and Eric talking but had to stop myself from actively listening to their conversation. Mom and Aunt Linda were whispering in the corner.

"What'cha talking about?" I asked while I opened the refrigerator to get myself a glass of tea.

"Eric's a good looking boy, Sookie." Aunt Linda immediately piped up with a grin on her face.

I wasn't quite sure how to answer that**,** so I just busied myself with pouring two glasses of tea. I didn't know if Eric drank tea or not, but he'd told me before he'd left home that he was open to try just about anything. I figured iced tea was a pretty tame thing to try. If he hated it, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

"So how long is he staying?" Aunt Linda asked.

"Not sure yet." I put the pitcher back in the fridge. "Eventually he's going to make his way north to Chicago to stay with a relative for a while."

"Hmmm**,**" Aunt Linda looked me up and down like she was seeing something no one else could. With Aunt Linda, I wouldn't be one bit surprised if she did. She prided herself on having an unusually perceptive sixth sense. Nine times out of ten, her sense was dead on, even if no one ever wanted to acknowledge it. "Something tells me he'll be sticking around for a while."

I hoped she was right, as selfish as that might have been. I offered her a smile and then headed back to the dining room. Daddy and Eric were talking sports and I breathed a sigh of relief they'd found some sort of common ground to talk about other than me. If Jason had been there, Eric would be forced to listen to either Jason's football stories or embarrassing stories from our childhood. Either way, I was thankful Jason wasn't home yet.

We'd all just sat down at the table when there was a knock at the front door and then the sound of Hadley's voice calling out to us. I groaned internally. I loved Hadley, I really did, but I knew she had the potential to make a pornstar uncomfortable. I was thankful the only open chair was next to Aunt Linda. Unfortunately, that would but her across from Eric. Hadley came bouncing in the room in a tiny tank top and a pair of even tinier shorts. She must have been coming from cheer practice. She was coaching the junior leagues, though I'm not sure who made that decision. One look at Hadley and I'd seriously considering putting my daughter in a convent instead. Hadley wasn't role model material.

Before she even said hello to everyone else she took one look at Eric and said, "Well, aren't you just sex on two legs?"

"Hadley!" Aunt Linda admonished, though Aunt Linda had said something awfully similar when she first saw Eric.

Eric looked at me with a smirk on my face while I was sure I looked horrified. I'd kill Hadley later. "I'm Eric." Eric gracefully extended his hand over the table without having to get up.

Hadley giggled and shook his hand. "Yes you are. I'm Hadley, Sookie's cousin."

"It's nice to meet you." Eric took his hand back and grabbed for mine under the table to give it a reassuring squeeze.

I relaxed a little bit but decided I'd have to watch Hadley like a hawk. I had a feeling she'd be coming around more and more often for the remainder of Eric's visit. Hadley took the empty seat next to Aunt Linda. We said a quick grace and then the food was being passed around. Eric had never heard of half the things Mom made for dinner but that didn't stop him from trying all of it. If Mom thought feeding Jason was something for the record books, she was positively stumped by how much Eric could eat.

"And I thought my son had a hollow leg." Mom marveled.

"Let him alone, Shell. He's a growing boy." Daddy quickly came to Eric's defense. That was fast. I figured Daddy would need to sniff him out a while longer before taking up for him.

"I'm just saying**,**" Mom said defensively, but with a smile that was a little too sweet. She and Daddy definitely had an argument earlier. I decided I didn't want to know anything about it. I wanted to get through dinner and then spend some time with Eric. Alone.

Hadley asked all sorts of stupid questions over dinner. She wanted to know how Eric learned to speak such good English, to which he partially credited me. It was sweet of him, but I doubted I had much to do with it. He held my hand all through dinner. He was certainly more hands-on than I had expected**,** but he wasn't inappropriate about it. I appreciated that. He didn't cross any lines and he kept glancing in my direction like he was afraid I would disappear if he didn't. It was sweet.

After dinner I offered to help Mom with the dishes and clean up, but she had insisted that I just go look after Eric. There would be plenty of other nights for me to help out. I was thankful she was letting me off the hook, since I didn't trust Hadley alone with him for a second. I cleared the table since it was my job and I was thankful when Eric sprang up to help me. I smiled at him and he followed me to the kitchen. Unfortunately, Hadley followed, too.

"So, Eric, what part of Sweden are you from?" Was she serious? Hadley knew damn well he was from Stockholm! She'd been hearing about him since we were little kids.

Eric patiently answered every single one of her questions while I was trying to think of ways I could kill her and make it look like an accident. Thankfully, Hadley's cell phone started ringing every few minutes just before ten. She was being paged by the rest of the cheerleaders to attend some silly pre-prom sleepover. I'd never been more excited to see her leave in my whole life.

Eric and I were sitting on the porch swing out front when my parents came outside to say goodnight to us. Daddy had to be up for work before five and Mom made it a point to go to bed when he did, even if she wasn't up as early as he was. I was guessing they had some things to talk through after their fight. I was more than okay with Eric and I staying outside for a while. I actually felt bad that he was going to be sleeping in the room across from theirs. My parents had wonderful timing.

"Don't stay up too late. Eric, it's nice to have you here. I'll be making breakfast in the morning." Mom leaned in to kiss my cheek and Daddy followed suit before going into the house for the night.

"If you're tired**,** we can call it a night." I looked over at Eric when he stretched and yawned next to me.

"I'm tired, but I don't want to go to sleep yet. If I go now, I'll be up unreasonably early."

"Then you'll fit right in around here." I pulled my knees up under my chin, adjusting my skirt to make sure I wasn't flashing anything.

"I thought you said you slept late on weekends?"

"I do, but tomorrow is Thursday. I have school tomorrow." I reminded him.

Actually, I didn't. When I'd told Mom Eric was coming into town early she'd told me I could take Thursday off. I'd gotten all the last minute review stuff from my teachers and I was beyond ready for my finals. My grades had never been below a B+ average in my entire academic career. I'd already been accepted to college. I would most likely be graduating in the top ten percent of my class. Missing one day full of reviews and yearbook signing wasn't going to hurt me. It dawned on me then that Eric might also be in town for my graduation.

"So what are you going to do with all that free time tomorrow?" I smiled over at Eric.

"Sleep, probably." He smirked at me. "Maybe I'll come bust you out of school."

"Oh, my mother will _love_ that." I rolled my eyes.

Without warning, he kissed me again. My legs straightened themselves out as my body turned toward his. If this is how we were going to spend the next couple of weeks, I was in big, big trouble.

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**EPOV**

I'd had a few girlfriends in the past. I never mentioned them to Sookie and I never told any of them about her. At the time it had seemed pointless to bring it up on either side. I didn't mention Sookie to the girls because I knew they would demand that I give her up. Girls could be so petty and jealous. Back then I didn't see a reason for their jealousy. Fifteen minutes of making out with Sookie in the front seat of her mother's car after being in the same location as her for a total of a half an hour made me realize they would have had every right to be jealous. I never told Sookie about my girlfriends because I didn't want to hurt her. I'm not sure why I'd thought it would hurt her, but I didn't want to risk it. I didn't want to lose a friend.

Besides, I had no plans to be serious with a single one of those girls. They were a way to pass the time. I never fell in love, though I'm not sure the same can be said for them. They always took the inevitable breakups harder than I did. At the end of the day, my heart just wasn't in it. I was a dick about it, no doubt. I was in it for the benefits of allowing myself to be called someone's boyfriend. For me, there were very little feelings involved. I liked them well enough, but I never really let any of them in.

The second I kissed Sookie, though, I knew something was different with her. Maybe it was because we'd known one another for so long. Maybe it was the thrill of finally getting something I had wanted for so long. Maybe it was just because it was her. Sookie was special. She always had been. Whatever the reason, the thought flashed in my mind that the likelihood of finding another girl who made me feel the way she did when I kissed her was next to nonexistent.

Keeping my hands- and lips- to myself was going to be a challenge. Her house was different from anything I'd ever seen. It looked like it belonged in an American history textbook. There were all sorts of family artifacts and things strewn about. The house looked lived in by a real family. It wasn't anything like my parents' house. The Stackhouse's farmhouse was lived-in and cozy. My parents' house was full of harsh lines and neutral colors. It wasn't nearly as warm or inviting, but it was home.

Sookie's room was full of pictures of her with her friends and family. There were little certificates and trophies in her room to signify her many achievements. I knew she was smart, but I was still impressed by the number of semesters she'd been on the honor roll. I wondered if academics came to her as easily as they did to me. I found myself bored in most of my classes and as a result, I didn't do as well as I could have. I skated along because no one ever really bothered to challenge me.

The arrival of her Aunt Linda, whom Sookie looked a lot like, prevented us from picking up where we'd left off in the car earlier. After introducing us, Sookie took me to the room where I'd be sleeping. It was a modest room, sparsely decorated. I didn't mind that at all, so long as I wouldn't be woken up by sunlight at the crack of dawn each day. I was a late sleeper. I didn't plan on changing that.

Much like I'd done up in Sookie's room, I tested out the mattress. No doubt Sookie's bed was more comfortable but I was sure the time I got to spend on it would be limited. I was willing to bet Mr. Stackhouse had a whole riot act to read me**,** just to be clear about the rules in his house, especially where his daughter was concerned. I couldn't blame him for being cautious, or suspicious for that matter. The good thing was, I wasn't beholden to Sookie's parents. I was free to leave any time I wanted. Since she was eighteen, Sookie was free to leave as well. I just hoped it didn't come to that.

When Sookie sat down next to me on the bed I found myself thinking of mundane things again so I wouldn't attack her. I'd never put so much thought into how electricity works in my whole life. Thankfully, we were alerted that dinner was ready. Sookie left me in the dining room with her father while she went to the kitchen. Mr. Stackhouse gestured for me to take a seat to his left.

"Thank you, Mr. Stackhouse, for allowing me to stay here. I appreciate it and I know Sookie's happy for it, too." Manners were good. Sookie had warned me they would count for a lot with her parents.

Mr. Stackhouse nodded and said, "You're welcome." He took a drink of his beer. I wouldn't be able to do that here. I wasn't of legal age like I was back home. "I'm going to cut the shit for a minute, since I doubt I'll get the chance to say this later."

"Okay." I had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.

"I love my baby girl. She's sweet and innocent and whether or not she's willing to say so, she thinks the world of you. I know y'all are good friends but you're also teenagers. You get her pregnant, and I get my shotgun. Understood?" He wasn't kidding.

"Understood." I nodded.

"Good. Glad to hear it. Call me Corbett." He took another drink of his beer. "So, you play sports back in Sweden. Sookie's brother plays football here. American football, that is." He said that last part with a bit of disdain in his voice, but I didn't take it personally.

We talked about sports until Sookie, Mrs. Stackhouse and Linda appeared with bowls and platters full of food. Sookie handed me a glass of iced tea. I'd had it before. I wasn't terribly fond of it, but it would do. I had no idea where to start, there was so much food on the table. Her father was just about to say a blessing when there was a knock on the front door and a girl called out. A few seconds later a blond girl that looked an awful lot like Sookie came into the room.

She was dressed in what appeared to be her underwear and staring at me like a pitbull on a short leash**,** trying to chase a squirrel. She made a rather inappropriate comment that Sookie was clearly offended by, even if it didn't bother me all that much. Well, it bothered me because it bothered Sookie. Who was this girl, anyway?

"I'm Hadley, Sookie's cousin." She introduced herself, reaching across the table to shake my hand. I didn't even have to get up to reach back.

She spent most of dinner grazing my leg under the table with her toes. I wanted to kick her but figured that would be frowned upon. Instead, I kept looking over at Sookie, hoping she'd get the message. Every time Hadley touched me, I squeezed Sookie's hand. All I got in response was a shy smile before she hid her mouth behind a new bite of her dinner or a sip of her tea. I answered all of Hadley's silly questions without rolling my eyes. Sookie kept quiet**,** though I could tell her patience with Hadley was running out.

When she jumped up to clear the table, I helped her. My own mother would have fainted if I had done something like that at home. Not that I didn't do my part to clean up**,** but it usually took some nagging from her before I'd do it. Mrs. Stackhouse seemed impressed by my willingness to help, which only sweetened the deal as far as I was concerned. I followed Sookie into the kitchen and tried not to stare too hard at her ass as we walked. Hadley, unfortunately, followed us around. I wasn't the least bit interested in her.

When we got outside to the porch I made sure to take up enough room on the swing so only Sookie would fit next to me. Hadley pouted for a minute before hopping up on the railing straddling it in a suggestive way that had Sookie flushed with embarrassment. I answered more of Hadley's questions and discretely rubbed the back of Sookie's neck throughout the majority of the conversation we were having. I was thankful when Hadley finally had to go. I wasn't going to miss her one bit, though I was sure I'd be seeing her again.

"I'm sorry about Hadley." Sookie turned toward me once Hadley was gone. Linda had left a short time before as well.

"She was trying to feel me up under the table." I confessed to Sookie, who turned even redder before burying her face in her hands.

"Next time I'll stab her with my fork." Sookie promised me without looking up and I laughed.

"Not a fan of sharing your toys, are you?" I teased her.

She looked at me with this odd blend of possession and embarrassment. "I just don't want Hadley getting her hooks in you." She sighed heavily and said, "I'm really glad you're here, Eric. I'm sorry if she made you feel uncomfortable."

"I've dealt with worse than Hadley."

"Oh really?" Her eyebrows arched in a comical way. We'd never talked about relationships before. I wasn't sure I wanted to.

Thankfully, Sookie's parents chose that moment to come outside and say goodnight to us. So far, I liked her parents. I liked that they were protective of her. I would be, too. Frankly, I would be more concerned if her father wasn't suspicious of me. He was just doing his job by issuing his threat. It wasn't quite the way we handled things back home, but I understood. If I found out some punk asshole was messing with Sookie, I'd probably want to shoot him, too.

It was at that moment her parents came out to say goodnight to us. I was surprised they were turning in so early, but Sookie explained that her father was always up before dawn and her parents always went to bed together. It was easy to see that her parents genuinely loved one another and liked spending time together, even if they'd had some sort of fight earlier before I'd arrived.

"So what are you going to do with all that free time tomorrow?" Sookie asked me once her parents had gone inside.

That was a good question. I hadn't given that much thought but I didn't want to be a bother to anyone who might be home. "Sleep, probably." An idea popped into my head that made me smirk at all the possibilities. "Maybe I'll come bust you out of school."

Sookie laughed and rolled her eyes at me. "Oh, my mother will _love_ that."

Before I could stop myself I was kissing her again to stifle her laughter. Her body shifted toward mine, bringing her feet back to the floor. She moaned into my mouth. She wasn't the first girl to do that but coming from her, it was a million times sexier than it had ever been in the past. As much as I didn't want to, I pulled away from her.

"Let's go for a walk." I suggested. There were a few things I wanted to say to her and I didn't want to be within ear shot of her parents when I said them. Just because they'd gone to bed, it didn't mean they were sleeping.

"Sure. Give me a minute." Sookie smiled and then disappeared into the house.

When she came out two minutes later her pigtails were gone in favor of a single ponytail that grazed her shoulders when she moved. She'd put on a pair of sandals as well. It was hot outside even with the sun gone. I felt like I was in a steam bath. We didn't get this sort of weather in Sweden. I don't know how she lived with this for months at a time and I told her as much.

"You get used to it." She shrugged as she stepped off the porch. "I bet I'd probably freak out over the cold in the winter, so we're even."

"It does get cold." I agreed with her. I loved winter. "Does it snow here?"

"Not enough to count for much. It gets cold, but not really cold enough for any substantial accumulation. The closest we get is frost on the windows." Sookie said as we ventured around back of her house.

Since I had no idea where we were going, I followed her lead. We talked about typical small talk things as we walked and before long we were in a cemetery. I stopped when I realized were we were. The last place I had expected to end up my first night with Sookie was in a graveyard.

"Do they not have cemeteries in Sweden?" Sookie teased when she saw my reaction.

"I just didn't realize you had one so close to your house. Either that, or we walked farther than I thought." I looked around at the old tombstones sticking up out of the ground.

"I never told you?" Sookie asked with disbelief.

"I'm pretty sure I would have remembered something like this."

She went on to tell me the history of the cemetery and then she pointed out some lights about two hundred yards into the distance. "That would be the old Compton house. It's even older than our place. A kid I go to school with lives there."

Her voice got sad at the last part. "What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath and then turned to look at me. "His name's Bill. He's a nice guy. We have a few classes together and I've known him pretty much my whole life. He asked me to go to prom with him the day after my birthday."

I tensed up. "Oh."

"I turned him down. He didn't take it very well." Sookie looked at her feet.

"Well, I would probably be pretty bummed out, too, if I were in his shoes." That got a smile out of her.

"I could tell him I had a change of heart." Sookie smirked at me over her shoulder.

"You could, but then I'd probably have to go with Hadley so I could keep an eye on you." Just the thought of it made me cringe.

Apparently, it did the same thing to Sookie. "Ew." She visibly shivered in spite of the heat. "I really am sorry about her behavior. She has a boyfriend."

I snickered and shook my head. "And people wonder why I prefer to be single."

From the look on Sookie's face, I knew I'd said the wrong thing. I wanted to clarify but she started talking. "So you've never dated anyone?" We had to get to this eventually.

"I have." I admitted. She didn't look surprised. "I was never serious about any of them."

"Any of them? How many girlfriends have you had?"

I really didn't want to get into this just yet, but I wouldn't lie to her either. I never had before and I wasn't about to start now. "I've dated a bunch of girls, but only three of them ever got to girlfriend status." I confessed.

"Oh." Sookie looked at her feet again and backed away from me. "You never told me."

"We never talked about that kind of stuff." I shrugged it off, but I knew that wasn't the real reason. "I didn't want to hurt you."

"Why would it hurt me?" Sookie's head snapped up, daggers in her eyes. Shit. I'd never seen her look like that before.

"I don't know. Girls just get weird about that kind of thing sometimes." Apparently that was the wrong answer. "So then you've never had a boyfriend?"

"No. I've been on dates, but I've never had a boyfriend." Sookie folded her arms over her chest. "It's never been all that important to me. School was always a much bigger focus than having someone to make out with on the weekends. Not to mention, my brother made it pretty clear that anyone who got too close to me would end up in the hospital."

I had to bite back a smile. The apple didn't fall far from the tree where protecting Sookie was concerned. "But you went out anyway."

"Well of course I did. My brother doesn't run my life. And contrary to whatever my father may have said earlier, he's not going to shoot you if you touch me." Sookie was wise to her father's threats which somehow didn't make it any less serious.

"Actually, his exact words were, you get her pregnant and I get my shotgun." I quoted.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Daddy watches too many John Wayne movies."

"I think it's good that they're protective of you."

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one with potential dates running in the other direction because they're afraid of getting their ass handed to them just for calling me."

"They love you. They want to make sure no one fucks with you. I can relate." I offered her a charming smile and she softened some. "So I've been thinking about this dance on Friday. How long are we going to stay?"

"I don't know. A few hours at least. Why?"

"What are the chances I could talk you into driving to New Orleans and spending the weekend down there?"

"Are you serious?"

"I've never been there. I'd like to see it. It sounds like more fun than going to some party and getting drunk and making total fools of ourselves." I knew Sookie wasn't the kind of girl who wanted to spend the night doing keg stands or playing beer pong. She was classier than that.

"I don't know. I was kind of looking forward to doing a keg stand." She winked at me. I couldn't tell if she was being serious or not.

"Well, I'm just putting the option out on the table. We can always go another time." It really didn't matter to me. "If you'd rather spend the night doing keg stands and acting silly, I can do that, too. In fact, it might be fun to hold your legs for you." My eyebrows waggled at her and she laughed.

"Who says I'd let you? You might have some serious competition. After all, I've never done a keg stand before and I've had several boys offer to induct me into that particular activity."

"Any of them bigger than me?" I was pretty sure that'd be a no.

"Mmmm, Alcide's about your size." Sookie looked me up and down.

"Could I take him?" As if there were any question about that. I hadn't been in many fights but I had no doubt I could absolutely waste someone if I had to.

"I guess we'll have to wait and see." Sookie shrugged again with a devious smile on her face.

We were circling one another in the middle of a cemetery. It was by far one of the strangest nights of my life. I wouldn't be forgetting this anytime soon. She stopped moving and looked up at the stars. The sky was different here than it was back home. There were too many lights to really be able to see much. That wasn't the case here.

I was too busy looking up to notice Sookie moving closer to me. It wasn't until she was hugging me around my waist with her face pressed against my chest that I even noticed she'd moved at all. My shirt was clinging to me from the sweat and I could tell she wasn't fairing much better than me in the soupy Louisiana night.

"I'm really, really happy you're here." She squeezed me.

I put an arm around her. She was covered in a thin layer of sweat. Her perfume wafted up toward my nose. It was too hot for snuggling in any capacity but there was no way I'd push her away from me. Not after ten years of not having her close enough.

"Me, too." I smiled and kissed her hair.

Her head jerked up and there was a serious look in her eye. "Okay, so I have to tell you something in the spirit of us being best friends. I've been holding this back for a while and it's not really fair to you."

Uh oh. I told myself not to panic, although a thousand horrible thoughts ran through my head. "You're not dying, are you?"

Sookie laughed. "No, I'm not dying. At least, not in the foreseeable future."

I breathed a small sigh of relief. "That's good."

"I think so." She let go of me and stepped back just a bit.

"Sookie, whatever it is, just say it. It'll be okay." I reached for her hand and she let me take it.

She laced her fingers with mine. "For a while now, I haven't really been thinking of you as a friend." If she told me she thought of me as a brother, I was pretty sure I'd be leaving for Chicago in a few days instead of a few weeks. No way could I stay in the same house as her if she felt that way. "It gets harder and harder to say goodbye every time I talk to you on the webcam. Before you told me you were coming here, I was thinking about going to Stockholm to see you. I think about you a lot and it's really distracting me. I've had the same goals for a really long time and lately it just doesn't seem like any of it matters. All I want to do is sit in front of that damn computer and listen to you tell your goofy jokes and tease me for being my usually easily teaseable self. I like that you don't judge me for the crazy way I over**-**think things or for sticking to my guns on stuff. I like that I can tell you anything and you never make me feel weird about it."

"I would never."

"I know you wouldn't." She squeezed my hand so our palms were pressed together, her nails digging into the back of my hand just a little. I squeezed back and she smiled. "The thing is, you're going to leave eventually and we're going to go back to webcams, emails, texts and phone calls. And while those things are great, it won't be the same. There's going to be a part of me that's going to want more."

"Sookie-"

"Let me finish." She held up her free hand to stop me. "I know this trip was supposed to be about you just drifting along and seeing what's out there. I know you're a bit of a Lloyd Dobler right now."

"Lloyd Dobler?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Say Anything." She said this as if I should know what she was talking about. "You've never seen that movie?" I shook my head. "Oh, well, that's going to change. Lloyd Dobler was this totally awesome guy and he was looking for his 'dare to be great' situation."

"I see." I smiled, though I still had no idea what she was talking about. If it wasn't recent American cinema, I probably hadn't seen it. "So what does that have to do with you and me?"

Sookie took a deep breath and let go of my hand. That didn't bode well, I figured. "We're both young and we're free. We don't owe anything to anyone. We're finally able to make our own choices and do the things we want to do and if our parents don't like it, that's just too damn bad. From the time I was a little girl, I had this picture in my head of what I wanted someday. I figured I'd get married after college. I'd have a job, a house, maybe a few kids. I'd have the typical American dream sort of life. I'd teach Sunday school and bake cupcakes for the kids' bake sales. I'd take up needlepoint and throw the nicest garden parties. I'd be happy."

"Sounds like a nice life."

"It used to." Sookie turned away from me. I had a feeling a big revelation was about to be dropped on me. I was right. "It used to mean everything to me to get to that point. And then I saw you in real time, for the first time, on my sixteenth birthday. You weren't just a letter in the mail or a disembodied voice on the phone. You were a real person. I mean, you were always a real person, but..."

"I know what you mean." I did. I knew exactly what she meant.

"Something changed for me after that, Eric. You weren't just my best friend anymore. I started to miss you when I didn't get to see you. That month we didn't talk last summer? It just about broke my heart."

That was entirely my fault. I had been dating the third of the three girlfriends I'd mentioned to her earlier. I'd simply told her I'd been busy and hadn't had time to get on-line. The most contact we had was a few emails, and I always sent them when I was sure she'd be asleep so she couldn't send me a request for a chat. I'd been a dick, but I'd done it because I thought I was protecting her.

"Sookie, I'm sorry." I figured I should probably come clean, but what good would that do? What was done, was done. It wouldn't change anything.

"You have your life, Eric. I don't want to stop you from it. You should do what you want to do."

I figured it would be crass of me to ask her if she would still mean that if _she_ was what I wanted to do. "So what are you saying, Sookie? Are you saying you don't want to be friends anymore?"

"No," Her mouth hung open and she shook her head while tears sprang into her eyes. Shit.

"Please don't cry." I begged her. Seeing her cry over a webcam was terrible enough.

Sookie squeezed her eyes shut and took a few deep breaths while she tried to will away her tears. I stepped closer to her and put my hand on her cheek. She nuzzled against it and rested her small hands on my sides. It was nice to be able to touch her.

"You're an amazing kisser." She said without opening her eyes. "I've never felt anything like that in my life. Not that I've kissed many guys, but still." She kept her eyes closed. She was distancing herself from this.

"Sookie, look at me." I stroked her cheek. She hesitated but ultimately opened her eyes. They were shiny with tears that were reluctant to go away. "You're not the only one who's been seeing things differently lately. The other morning when we were talking and you were sitting there on your bed in that towel just about killed me."

Sookie gasped, turned bright pink and then looked away from me. "I didn't even... I, oh God." Her forehead hit my chest in mortification. It was adorable.

I reached up to touch her hair. It was so silky. I gently worked the elastic band out of it so her hair tumbled down her back. She looked up at me like I was nuts. I ran my fingers through her hair and she relaxed a bit.

"So what do we do now?" Sookie grasped my wrists with her small hands, looking me directly in the eye.

"We see what happens. I think we'll always be friends no matter what. If the other things don't work out, we'll figure it out and get past any weirdness."

"And if we can't?"

"Then we cross the bridge when we come to it. For me, it's worth the risk." I scratched lightly at the back of her head and she wilted against me. I kissed the top of her head. "If it isn't for you-"

She pulled her head back and said, "You hush." Then she punched me playfully in the ribs and tilted her face up to kiss me.

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"**I love that you mentioned Lloyd Dobler! Every girl needs a Lloyd Dobler! (preferably with a Gracious Plenty!)" -Hearttorn**

I think that about sums it up. Reviews are love! Thanks for reading!


	5. Bonnie & Clyde

Once again, thank you for all of your kind reviews and questions in regards to what sort of trouble Hadley might be looking to cause. As an unintentional reward for your kindness, I give you two words to sum up this chapter: Shower scene. *wiggles eyebrows*

A big thanks to **hearttorn** for powering through the first give chapters of this story over the weekend. Seriously, you should all be worshiping her for all of her hard work. You wouldn't be getting such pretty chapters up this quick if she weren't so awesome. It might be a day or two before I can post again, so enjoy this one. But I'm currently working on chapter 13, so there's plenty in the bank ;)

**I don't own any of these characters, but if I did, they'd be rooting for the Hawks in tonight's game. Go Hawks!**

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**Chapter Five: Bonnie & Clyde**

**SPOV**

Eric and I were standing there in the cemetery at almost eleven o'clock at night, kissing like the world was about to end. I heard the crunching of leaves and the snapping of twigs just before I felt a light shine on us. We pulled apart to see Bill approaching with a murderous look in his eyes.

"Bill, what are you doing here?" Eric stepped in front of me in a protective way.

"I heard something out here." He shined his flashlight in Eric's face.

"I'm fine, Bill. You can go home now." I had no patience for him just then.

"Who's this guy?" Bill jutted his chin toward Eric.

"I'm Eric." He announced himself. "Would you mind shining your flashlight somewhere else?"

Bill didn't move the light out of Eric's face**,** so I stepped around him. "Bill, you're being awfully rude."

"Is this the guy you ditched me for?" Bill stared Eric down.

Ditched him? What the hell? "Bill, I didn't ditch you for anyone. Go home."

Bill reluctantly moved the beam of light out of Eric's face. I glanced up at Eric and watched his eyes refocus in the darkness. When I turned back to Bill, he was gone. I sighed and reached for Eric's hand.

"You okay?"

"What's his issue?"

"That was the guy who asked me to prom."

"Will he be there Friday?"

"I don't know. Maybe." I didn't really care if Bill was going to be there or not.

"If he's smart, he'll stay away from you."

"Oh, leave him be. He just needs to go lick his wounds. He'll be fine. If not, my Daddy has a shotgun." I nudged him with an elbow, coaxing a smile out of him.

"I thought you said your Dad wasn't serious about that?"

I shrugged. "If I'm bothered enough, he would be. I guess he forgot the part about where if you break my heart, he'll break your neck."

"He did fail to mention that." Eric agreed.

"That's because that's usually Jason's line. If you're still here when he gets back from school, I'm sure you'll hear it."

"Can I take him?" Eric arched an eyebrow and I laughed.

"Jason's not much taller than me but he's pretty strong."

"I'll keep that under advisement. Lucky for me, I don't plan on doing anything that would warrant a violent reaction out of anyone in your family." He put an arm around me and we started back toward the house.

"I have a confession to make." I said as we got closer to the back porch.

"Another?"

"Yes, another." I stopped and turned to face him when we got to the back steps. "I'm not going to school tomorrow. I was going to wait and surprise you in the morning, but if you plan on sleeping all day, I figure I'd let you know now."

"What's your parents' policy on us napping together?" Eric teased as we headed into the house.

"I'm guessing it's probably frowned upon. But the good thing is that Thursday Mom volunteers at the library in the afternoon, so we'll have some time to ourselves."

"Why**,** Miss Stackhouse, are you suggesting we break your parents' rules and spend time together in a locked room?"

"I said nothing of the sort." Eric followed behind me into the house.

I latched the screen door but left the kitchen door open. I loved that we lived in a town where people could still do that without worrying someone was going to break in and rob us in the middle of the night. I went to the front door and did the same thing. Since it was well past ten, I couldn't take Eric upstairs with me.

"You tired yet?" I leaned against the archway that led into the living room.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Nope. I just didn't want to pop in a movie if you were tired."

"I'm good**,**" he said, even though he looked pretty wiped out.

"Well, why don't you pick a movie. I'll get us some drinks and snacks."

"Sounds like a plan."

I showed Eric where the DVDs were while I went to the kitchen to get us appropriate movie snacks. He looked at me like I was crazy when I came back with microwaved popcorn with junior mints mixed in it. After one handful, he was convinced I was a genius. He ended up finding my copy of Say Anything. We got about half way through it before we gave up on the movie and ended up making out instead. We managed to keep ourselves upright which came in handy when Daddy suddenly came out of the bedroom behind us. We pulled apart quickly and tried to look like we hadn't been doing anything.

"Don't think I don't know what you two were doing just thirty seconds ago." Daddy taunted on his way to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

I blushed and hid my face in Eric's shoulder. He tried not to laugh next to me. Daddy didn't need to go to the kitchen to get water. He and Mom's room had a bathroom. Daddy hardly ever came out in the middle of the night to get a drink. He was coming out to check on us. My parents hadn't said anything about making out on the couch, but I suppose it was implied that was a no-no.

"Bonnie's by the door and Clyde's in my closet. Remember that." Daddy muttered on his way back to his bedroom and I groaned just as the bedroom door clicked shut.

"What is he talking about?" Eric whispered.

"His shotguns." I shook my head and Eric laughed louder than he had intended.

"You're serious?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" My father had named them years ago. I didn't get it, but I didn't have to.

"Interesting." Eric couldn't stop laughing.

"You hush." I elbowed him again and that got him thinking about something other than my father's odd habit of naming his firearms.

We were back at it again. He moved his hand up to my breast and I froze for a second. He pulled back while I caught my breath, taking his hand back with him. I grabbed it and put it right back where it was. His hand felt good there, like it belonged there.

"It's okay, Eric." I touched his cheek and he smiled at me.

We resumed our position on the couch, his hand stroking me gently over the soft fabric of my dress for the longest time before he finally reached inside of it. I moaned in his mouth and decided we were getting to a point where I was going to have to cut things off before Daddy came out to give a demonstration on how to properly tuck Bonnie in for the night. As much as I hated to, I pulled away from Eric.

"I think I should go to bed now." I sucked in air as quickly as I could. "Believe me, I would love to stay and continue this, but-"

"But your parents are right there." He looked behind us.

"Yeah. Not to mention, it's your first night and I don't want to rush anything."

"We've waited ten years, Sookie." He smiled at me and kissed my forehead. Damn, he was going to make this difficult.

"Then we can wait two more nights, right?" I bit my lower lip, not at all sure I had that sort of will power.

"We can try." He said as though he'd been reading my mind.

I turned off the DVD player and television before walking him to his bedroom. "I'm going to take a cold shower and go to bed." I flipped on the light in the bathroom right next to his room.

He pulled me closer to him and whispered, "You're killing me, Sookie."

I kissed him one more time. "Goodnight, Eric." Then I disappeared into the bathroom.

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**EPOV**

I'd never pegged Sookie for a sadist until I was forced to listen to her shower just five feet away from me. From the other side of a pretty thin wall, I heard the creaking and popping of bottles as she used one soap or another to clean the sweat and grime off her body. I heard the little noises she was making and it was driving me crazy. I found myself wondering what the penalty would be for drilling a hole in the wall if I promised to fix it myself before I left? An image of a large and very sharp knife came to mind, putting my peephole idea to waste.

I was so hard for Sookie that it was starting to be painful. I tried every trick I could think of to will the wood away, but it had planted a flag and had no intention of abandoning me. I'd take care of my problem. I just had to wait until Sookie got out of the shower. The idea of being in the shower right after she had been wasn't helping me either. My mind was going all over the place. What snapped it back to reality were the sounds coming from the bathroom. They were … a little too regular for Sookie to just be washing up.

Was she? No. But there were those sounds, moans and stifled cries coming from the bathroom. I grinned at the image that came to mind of her wet little body up against the shower wall with her hand firmly placed between what I was sure were two perfectly tanned thighs. I tried to tell myself I was just imagining things, but I flashed back to our earlier conversation. She'd never had a boyfriend. That meant her sexual status was probably still at virgin.

I groaned as quietly as I could. She really was killing me, I was sure of it. Something hit the wall, jarring me from my little fantasy of what Sookie was doing in the shower. I jumped and nearly fell off the bed. The water turned off in the shower. The show, as unintentional as I'm sure it was, was over. I heard the water in the sink turn on. I thought quickly and left my room as quietly as possible to wait for her at the foot of the stairs.

She found me there a few minutes later and jumped at the sight of me. She clutched her chest and nearly lost her towel. I hated that towel, by the way.

"Eric, Jesus, you scared me half to death." She swatted at me when I stood up. "What are you doing out there?" She whisper yelled at me, and then gulped when she looked down the length of my body. My ... _attraction_ was still on full display.

"I forgot where the towels are." Total lie, but if she was going to leave me with dirty images of her for the night, I could do the same. The way she looked at me, I had no doubt I'd accomplished my mission.

"Oh, okay." She was uncomfortable and quickly turned around to go get me a towel. "Here." She thrust one at me but wouldn't look me in the eyes. Shit.

"I'll see you in the morning." I whispered and moved toward the bathroom.

I wasn't expecting it when a little hand reached out and grabbed me. Her hand was shaking and squeezed my forearm a little tighter than necessary. I turned to look at her. Her eyes were hooded with lust. I knew that look. I'd seen it before. She bit her lower lip and it took every ounce of control I had not to throw her up against the wall and fuck her right there in the hallway.

She moved a little closer, holding her towel up with her free hand. Her sundress and underthings were clutched in front of her as well. She licked her lips and pulled my arm while rising to her toes. She planted one hell of a kiss on me and broke it off before I really knew what hit me.

"Sweet dreams." She whispered and then disappeared into the house.

Sookie 2, Eric 1.

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**SPOV**

When I woke up in the morning I smelled coffee and bacon. I heard voices downstairs, and was slightly mortified to realize one was Eric's. I groaned and then got out of bed. I pulled on my robe, even though it was a bit warm for it. I figured going downstairs in barely there boy shorts and a tank top was a bad idea. Eric had caught me completely off guard when he'd met me at the stairs last night. Thankfully, I hadn't screamed or that would have been the end of him. Clyde would have seen to it.

I brushed out my hair before piling it on top of my head. I slipped down the stairs quietly and went straight to the bathroom to brush my teeth. Eric's towel was hanging on the rack and I smiled to myself before flushing bright pink. It dawned on me then that he'd probably heard me in the shower. I groaned and staggered back to sit on the rim of the tub. Shit. No wonder he was fit to be used as a sun dial. A very _large_ sun dial, if my eyes were seeing right.

Eventually I got myself to return to as normal a shade of golden-brown as I was going to. I had no idea what time it was. I hadn't looked at the clock before coming downstairs. If the house still smelled of coffee and bacon, it couldn't be that late. I'd gone to bed a little after one. After my run in with Eric, I'd run upstairs, put on my pajamas, turned on my iPod and forced myself to think of anything but him until I fell asleep. I couldn't think about how he was downstairs or how much I wanted to crawl into bed next to him.

As much as I liked having him around, I wasn't so sure him staying in my house was going to work. I crept into the kitchen in time to hear Eric attempting to teach my mother basic sentences in Swedish. It was actually sort of adorable to hear her try with the southern drawl we both had. Eric laughed quietly, but didn't give up.

"I think this might be a lost cause." Mom hated to do anything she couldn't be perfect at. I was the same way.

"It will take practice. If it makes you feel any better, I don't know that I could speak the way you do." Eric said kindly, making Mom laugh.

"Well, I think we should trade. I'll teach you how to talk like a redneck, and you can teach me Swedish." Mom offered, both of them laughing.

"Deal."

I rolled my eyes. No way did I want Eric changing a single thing about that accent. Cliché as it is, it's damn sexy. "Good morning." I announced my presence and they both looked over at me.

"Morning**,** sweetheart." Mom hopped up out of her chair.

"Morning, Sookie." Eric winked at me. I blushed and whipped around to get coffee.

"Sleep well? It's late."

I looked at the clock to find it was after ten. I nodded as I poured my coffee and doctored it the way I wanted it **- **just a hint of cream and one sugar. I stirred my coffee and went to put two pieces of toast in the toaster. Eric was being quiet and I was thankful for that.

"So, what are y'all doing today?" Mom asked as she pulled an egg out of the fridge for me.

"We haven't decided yet. I was thinking I'd show him around town, not that there's much to show, and then we'd spend the afternoon down by Laughtner's pond."

"I don't know if you want to do that. Your Daddy's crew will be out on the highway."

The highway ran right by the pond. I could just see it now...Eric and I frolicking around in our swim suits or making out in the water only for Daddy to happen by. Daddy preferred neck breaking and gunshot wounds, but I was sure he wouldn't above burying Eric up to his neck in asphalt if he had to.

"Well, then maybe we'll just stick closer to home." I shrugged.

I stood against the counter and waited for my toast to pop up while Mom fried my egg. I was just buttering my toast when she slid the egg onto my plate. She kissed my forehead and then excused herself to go get cleaned up. She had errands to run and wouldn't be back until later. My breath caught at the idea of having Eric alone in the house with me for the better part of the day. It was both exciting and scary.

I took my plate to the table and made it a point to sit across from Eric instead of next to him. I needed a little distance from him if I was going to be able to think at all. Thinking properly wasn't really possible with him that close. I was sweating, thanks for the robe I was wearing but I was afraid to take it off. We needed to have 'the talk' before I did that. Eric was watching me from across the table but not saying anything.

"What?" I finally shouted at him and he flinched. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm just wound a little tight."

"I know the feeling." His eyes caught mine. They felt like lasers.

"Did you sleep okay? I know that bed is probably a little too small for you."

"After my shower, I slept great." He winked at me and I blushed.

"I guess it's a good thing I was already upstairs by the time you got in there." I mumbled and then stuffed my mouth with toast.

"For what it's worth, I wasn't trying to hear you."

I almost choked and reached for a glass of orange juice, not caring who it belonged to. I gulped it down to clear my throat while Eric looked at me with concern and amusement. I cleared my throat and coughed a few times before I found my voice again. And here he thought _I_ was killing _him_.

"Look, Eric, I think we need to set some rules for things." I couldn't look at him when I said it.

"What kind of things?" His voice was innocent but one look at him told me he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Sex." I whispered and he laughed loudly.

Before I could stop myself I nudged him under the table. "You hush!" That only made him laugh louder.

"What's so funny?" Mom came back in the room, dressed and ready for her day.

"Nothing." I said pointedly and shot Eric a death glare.

Mom looked back and forth between us and just smiled coyly. "You two have fun. Call my cell if you need anything." Mom kissed the top of my head, winked at Eric and then left.

"Relax, Sookie. It doesn't have to be a big deal." Eric said calmly.

"Easy for you to say. You're not the one who could end up saddled with a kid." I liked Eric a lot. I loved him in a lot of ways. I wanted to be a mother someday. I didn't want that day to be nine months from now. I was too young and he was... well, Eric wasn't really an officially permanent fixture in my life, as much as I hated to admit it.

"We will be careful." Eric said matter-of-fact and with the same calm.

"Accidents happen."

"It's a risk you take, Sookie, no matter how protected you are. Anything is possible."

I was thankful he didn't tell me that a child had never resulted in the many, many times he'd had sex with his other girlfriends. He hadn't told me he'd slept with any of them, but one look at him and I was pretty sure his v-card had been handed over a long time ago. I sort of resented him for that. I hadn't really thought I'd been saving myself for him, but after last night I started to think I had been. At least on a subconscious level. Huh.

I felt like my face was on fire, but I had to tell him the truth. "You'd be my first." I could only glance at him to see his expression. He looked thoughtful.

"After what you said last night, I got that impression."

"What about you?" I didn't really want to hear the answer and he didn't have to be specific about it. "I don't want details, or anything like that. It's just... well, for safety reasons."

Eric's thoughtful expression morphed into a smirk but that quickly faded to something more serious. "Three."

"The girlfriends?" I tried not to sound too disappointed by it. I failed.

He nodded and leaned into the table. He opened his mouth to start speaking, but then shut it again. He leaned back in his chair. I'd stumped him, at least for the moment. I could see the gears in his mind shift. I'd never seen Eric struggle with words before to that extent. It was cute and scary at the same time. What could he possibly have to tell me that was so difficult?

"You didn't, like, knock one of them up, did you?" If he had a kid he'd failed to mention, I was going to be pissed and he was going to be on the first flight to Chicago.

"No!" He said quickly. "I've always been careful. I like kids but I'm not in any position to have one either."

"I'm glad we agree on that."

"Sookie, we'll do this however you want to do it. I won't pressure you." Eric assured me and I believed him.

"I know you won't." I finished off the rest of the orange juice that I'd stolen from him when I'd started choking. He smiled at me as I drank. "I don't want to rush anything, Eric. We've been really good friends for a really long time and I don't want to wreck it because our hormones got the better of us."

"Me either." He held a hand out to me over the table and I took it. "You're too important to me, Sookie."

I nodded my agreement. I absolutely felt the same way. "Who'd have thought ten years ago we'd be having this conversation?" I bit back a smile.

Eric excused himself a short time later to go take another shower. Apparently he'd gone running before I woke up. I decided we'd go by Laughtner's anyway. It was too hot to just lay in the yard all afternoon. I went by the bathroom and tapped on the door.

"Come in!" Eric called out.

I cracked the door to find him peeking around the shower curtain. "Sorry to bother you. I just thought I'd mention you probably want to wear swim trunks when you're done here. We've got plans." I grinned at him. The prospect of shirtless Eric for the afternoon had me making sure I wasn't drooling.

"As you wish." He winked at me and then disappeared behind the curtain.

While he finished up in the shower, I went upstairs to put on a bikini and a sundress. I came back downstairs and cleaned up the dishes from breakfast. When I was done I took a few deep breaths and then picked up the phone to make a very important call.

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**Any guesses as to who Sookie might be calling? And I know that probably wasn't what you had in mind when I mentioned a shower scene, but I think it was appropriate given the situation. As always, reviews are love. Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chicken

Okay, so this is the unbeta'd version of this chapter, so all of the errors you find here are mine. When I get the spiffed up beta'd version, I'll swap it out. I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that when writing Corbett, I sort of picture the father from Juno. Maybe not so much in appearance as in personality, if that makes any sense. I love his sense of humor and his relationship with his daughter. Protective, but trusting of Juno to make her own decisions and kind enough to forgive her when she makes mistakes. So, in case you were wondering, that's who I see when I write Corbett. I suppose I'm modeling Michele's relationship with Sookie after good ole Lorelei and Rory. I really do miss Gilmore Girls *sigh* Anyway...there you have it.

**I do not own any of these characters. I'm just taking them on a roadtrip.**

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**Chapter Six: Chicken**

**EPOV**

As far as sex talks go, the one I'd had with Sookie wasn't nearly as awkward as some of the others I'd had. I was relieved when she didn't make that big a deal of the fact that I'd slept with my ex-girlfriends. The first had been Ema. I was fifteen and she was twenty. I'd met her when my father had dragged me to work with him everyday over the summer before my second year of high school. She was an intern in his department. Ema had hair that was so light blonde, it was practically white. Her eyes were the contrast at almost black. She was petite but curvy. She had a radiant smile. She was sweet.

My father got annoyed with me and sent me to assist Ema with a project she'd been assigned to. We spent a few days in a dark basement moving boxes around and double checking the filing system. We talked about little things at first. She was easy to talk to. She was funny. I stopped bitching about having to get up so early to go to the office with my father. Then one day Ema came in with red rimmed eyes. She looked terrible, like she hadn't slept at all. She kept her earbuds in and wouldn't talk to me at all for three days.

When we came back the following Monday, she was feeling a little bit better. Her eyes had cleared up some and she was talking to me again. Her boyfriend had dumped her. More accurately, he'd left her for another woman. They'd been together for four years. She was devastated. I went to give her a hug and the next thing I knew, we were making out. This continued throughout that whole week. On that Friday she'd slipped me a plastic card and told me to meet her at a hotel nearby after the office closed.

I made excuses to my father about having friends to meet for a movie. I told him I would get a ride home later. He had no reason to think I was lying to him. He told me to be home by curfew and left me there out front of his office. I walked the few blocks to the hotel and found Ema waiting for me in a small room on the fourth floor. We didn't say anything to each other. We just took off our clothes and got in bed. Being that it was my first time, I didn't last long but Ema didn't seem to mind. I stayed in that bed with her until after my curfew.

By the time I got home my parents were asleep. They never waited up for me. Ema and I never said we were officially a couple, but I consider her a girlfriend. We hooked up pretty frequently over the summer. Sometimes at a hotel, sometimes at her apartment. She came to my house for an entire weekend once while my parents were out of town to celebrate their anniversary. I liked Ema a lot. I might have even loved her. But then summer came to an end and she had to go back to university. I had to go back to high school. We still talked from time to time but we never had sex again. The last I heard she was married and had two kids. Good for her.

Then there was Kirsten. Kirsten was a bit of a disaster from the beginning, but I tolerated her because I was an asshole and she was easy. She faked a pregnancy when I was sixteen and that scared me off of girls for a while. She was a total nutcase. We broke up and got back together just because it gave us an excuse to have even more sex than we were already having. I was constantly stressed out and angry. Kirsten was no good for me. I called it quits for good before summer started. I didn't want her kind of drama following me around.

Then, finally, there was Veta. Veta was the only one who showed any sort of promise. She did, however, had a terrible jealous streak. She was the reason Sookie and I didn't talk for a month. As much as I loved talking to Sookie, Veta was the warm body in my life. Yes, I know I'm an asshole for it. I regretted my decision almost immediately but it was too late. Veta was smart and reminded me a lot of Ema in the way she lived her daily life. She was the same age as me and felt similar to the way I did when it came to the future. She was a bit of a free spirit and anxious to see what else was out in the world before committing herself to any one thing. Of course, that freedom didn't extend to our relationship. She wanted me around all the time. The attention went from the cute way you obsess about someone when you first meet to being strangled by a wet blanket pretty quickly. I got bored and I dumped her.

The first person I called when it was over was Sookie. It wasn't until I heard Sookie's voice that I realized I hadn't smiled at all since getting together with Veta. I felt like the world's biggest asshole for cutting her out like I had. She'd blamed herself, thinking she'd done something wrong when it was all my own fault. I couldn't even blame Veta, since she'd had no idea that Sookie even existed. Frankly, I was surprised Sookie still wanted to talk to me after the way I treated her. The month that we didn't talk was the worst of my life. I hated myself for it for a long time, even after Sookie had forgiven me.

I came out of my room to find Sookie pacing the kitchen and talking to someone on the phone. She was speaking in whispers so I assumed I wasn't meant to hear the conversation. I knew I should have turned around and walked back into my room while she talked, but what I heard had my feet frozen right where they were.

"No, we haven't yet but I think we will. I just want to make sure we're safe about it. Yeah, yeah, I know you said it was a good idea. Yes, you were right. I know. Yes, I know. So can we make an appointment for Saturday or something?" Appointment for what? "No, you don't need to do that. We can take care of it ourselves. I love him." She what? I wasn't really shocked, but it still caught me off guard. How long had she been holding that in? "I don't know. I mean, he might, but he hasn't said it." Do I love her? Yes, I love her. Am I in love with her? I don't know. "No, I haven't told him. Well, I've told him but not like that. Please don't tell Daddy." Shit, she's talking to her mother. She's talking to her mother about us and sex? Shit. "We'll be careful. Okay. Okay, I love you too." Sookie hung up the phone and put it in its charger on the wall. She breathed a heavy sigh and then leaned against the counter.

I counted to twenty before walking into the kitchen. "You ready to go?" I figured it was best to pretend I hadn't heard anything. She would tell me when she was ready.

She looked a bit flustered but smiled at me from across the room. "Yeah, just let me get my shoes and my purse and we'll go."

Sookie disappeared upstairs to get her bag and her shoes. She came back a minute later with a goofy grin on her face and led me out of the house to a small car I wasn't sure I was going to fit in. She unlocked my door for me and then watched as I folded myself into the front seat.

"Sorry." She apologized when she was in the car beside me.

"Hopefully you don't have airbags." I joked.

"This thing? Ha!" Sookie shook her head as she started the ignition. "This thing barely has heat in the winter. It's a good thing I took Mom's car to pick you up yesterday. I promise we won't be in the car for too long. Laughtner's pond isn't too far away."

"I thought it was a bad idea to go there because of your father?" I arched an eyebrow at her.

"Lunch hour." Sookie tapped the small clock on the center console. "They'll all be too busy eating to pay much attention to the pond. Besides, if anyone starts gawking at Corbett's baby girl in her bikini, there'll be hell to pay. You'll be the least of Daddy's worries."

Sookie drove down a series of back roads before turning down a dirt path that cut through some woods. She parked her car and was surprised to see we didn't have the run of the place. There were at least a half a dozen other cars parked around the pond. There were grills fired up and radios blasting various genres of music. Sookie got out of the car and went to the trunk to retrieve a large canvas bag she stowed in the back. I took the bag from her while she closed the trunk and stuffed her keys into her purse.

"Where to?" I asked her, looking around at the few dozen kids scattered around the pond.

Sookie stepped closer to the small beach that encircled the pond, scanning for something. "Sookie!" A chorus of voices called to her and her head turned to the left.

"That's us." Sookie grabbed my hand and pulled me behind her.

"Friends of yours?" I smirked as we walked.

"Yes, and I apologize in advance for any stupid questions they might ask." Sookie squeezed my hand. Sookie in a bikini would more than make up for any stupid questions, I was sure of it.

"So, this must be Eric." A girl with bright red hair came prancing toward us. She was way too skinny and the grass green bikini she was wearing didn't flatter her complexion at all.

"Yes, this is him." Sookie smiled back at me. I stepped closer to her and put my arm around her shoulders. "Eric, this is Arlene." The red head waved to me. "Tara," A girl about Sookie's height with dark hair raised her hand. "Claudine," A very tall girl who looked like she belonged on a runway instead of a murky beach in the middle of nowhere barely lifted her hand in my direction. "Rene," He sidled up behind Arlene and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Eggs," He put his hand on Tara's shoulder. "And you met Hadley." Sookie mumbled that last part.

"Nice to meet you." I nodded since my hands were occupied.

"Give us a minute to get settled and then y'all can bug him." Sookie said with authority when Tara opened her mouth to say something.

Everyone scattered and went back to their own business while Sookie set up some towels for us. She pulled a bottle of sunscreen from her bag and then stripped off her dress. Her bikini was white with little cherries on it. She was even wearing a little necklace with cherries hanging from it. I hadn't even noticed it until I caught the red sparkles between her perfect breasts. I was back to thinking about the dullest things I could think of so I wouldn't embarrass her in front of her friends.

"Would you get my back?" Sookie squinted at me, holding out the bottle of sunscreen.

I wanted to say no, but that would have made me look like a douche. "Sure." She bent over to get her sunglasses out of her bag and I almost had a heart attack. She stood with her back to me. I leaned down and whispered, "You realize this is really unfair, right?"

She giggled and turned quickly to peck my cheek before turning away again. She was a temptress. If I wasn't sure if I was in love with her before, the answer was getting closer and closer to being a yes. I squeezed some of the cold white lotion on my hands and warmed it up before spreading it out on her back and shoulders. As if touching her wasn't torture enough, she was groaning quietly.

"You hush." I whispered to her, using her own words against her. Her head whipped around as far as it would go, her mouth hanging open. I nudged her and she turned back around. I laughed quietly. I took a little longer than necessary before proclaiming I was finished. "I did you. Now will you do me?" I handed her the bottle, my eyebrows wiggling at her.

She bit her bottom lip in thought. "Lay down." She pointed to a towel. When I hesitated she said, "You're too tall."

Right. Yes. I am taller than her. I laid down on the towel as she instructed, which wasn't exactly as easy thing to do, given that a part of me was anything but down, at that point. Still, I managed. Unlike me, Sookie didn't bother to warm up the lotion first. She simply opened the cap and squeezed glops of it onto my back. The cold hit me like ice cubes.

"That's cold you, know?" I looked up at her, feigning upset.

She lifted her sunglasses, winked at me and said, "I know." She closed the bottle and dropped it into her bag. "Head down."

I put my head down and closed my eyes while I waited to feel her little hands on my back. Instead, what I felt was her sitting on me. I grunted at her slight weight settling onto my lower back. I could feel the heat between her legs and I nearly came right then. She pressed her hands into my back and started rubbing in the lotion. She moved all around my back and up my neck. She even got my ears for me. I come from a place were massage was pretty much an art form, and Sookie Stackhouse, Louisiana virgin, took it to a whole new level.

By the time she was done I didn't know if I wanted to take a nap or fuck her senseless right there in the sand. She lowered herself and kissed my shoulder. "All done." She rubbed my sides for good measure and then got up.

She was way too good at this.

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**SPOV**

I'm not sure who was feeling more tortured, Eric or me. I was teasing him pretty mercilessly by asking him to rub me down with lotion. He did it because he's a nice guy and maybe a little glutton for punishment. I didn't see it coming when he asked me to do the same. I'd seen him shirtless countless times, but never from the back. Holy moly. Those shoulders were just insane. I sat on him since that was the most graceful way I could tackle my mission. But by the time I was done, I was kicking myself a little bit. I was playing with fire. Thankfully, we had an audience to keep us in line.

Not to mention, my mother's questions from our phone conversation started replaying themselves in my mind. The biggest of them being, did Eric love me? I had no doubt he did as a friend. He'd said as much various times, but that wasn't what she was talking about. It was the million dollar question but there was no way I'd ask him. He'd tell me if, and when, he was ready. No pressure.

My friends wasted no time peppering Eric with questions. He took it all in stride and answered all of them. Hadley pulled me away from the group and dragged me back toward the trees. She was wearing what appeared to be two pieces of string with gum wrappers strategically placed. I really didn't need to know the trim of my cousin's bikini wax.

"What's up, Had?" I asked once we were a safe distance from everyone.

"What's Eric's story?" I knew what she meant and I wasn't happy about it.

"He's seeing someone."

"Is she here in the country?" Hadley looked over my shoulder to watch Eric. He was playing frisbee with the guys. "Gah! He looks like an Abercrombie model. I just want to bite his bottom lip and grab his-"

"Hadley!" I cut her off right there. "Aren't you dating Remy?"

Haley groaned and rolled her eyes. "Please, don't remind me."

"I thought he was 'the one'?"

"I was wrong." She shrugged, her eyes never leaving Eric.

"To answer your question, Had, yes, the girl he's seeing is in the country."

"He brought someone with him? That's tacky."

I wanted to slap her. I really, really wanted to slap her. Actually, I wanted to drown her in the pond. Hadley was as bad with boys as my brother was with girls. It seemed like every time I turned around she was with someone different, only she forgot to tell the one before that they were done. Still, guys lined up for a chance with Hadley. I didn't get it.

"No, Had, he didn't bring someone with him." I sighed and rubbed my forehead. She was about as smart as my brother, too.

"Who snapped him up? I claw the bitch's eyes out." Hadley glared from one of our girlfriends to the next. "I would have figured y'all would stay close to the house last night." Slowly, painfully slowly, Hadley was figuring it out. Her eyes lit up when she finally got it.

"Yes, I'm the girl he's seeing." I muttered, completely over our conversation already.

"You?" Hadley looked like she'd just stepped in dog doo. "I mean, well, of course y'all are seeing each other. Way to go, Sook!" Her congratulations were almost genuine. "What's Bill think about that?"

"What? Why would you mention Bill? He's got nothing to do with this." I figured it out before Hadley could explain it. "You told him to ask me to prom, didn't you?"

Her face fell a bit. "Well, we were all going with dates and you were going alone. I figured since y'all have known each other since we were kids it wouldn't be a problem. Besides, how was I supposed to know you were cybersexing that Nordic piece of yummy?" Hadley certainly had a way with words.

"Hadley, I wish you wouldn't have interfered. I hurt Bill's feelings on account of you getting involved. I was perfectly content to go without a date. If I wanted to go with someone, I would have asked."

"Don't get your big girl panties in a twist. I was just trying to help." She was, for a change. Her heart had been in the right place. I took a deep breath and counted to ten.

"And I appreciate that, Had." I wanted to tell her it was nice to see her thinking of someone other than herself for a change.

"So you and Eric, it's an official real deal?"

"Well he didn't put a ring on my finger, or anything, but yeah." Actually, I didn't really know what we were to each other anymore. We were still friends, obviously. We'd made out a few times the night before. We'd talked about having sex earlier that morning. My head spun a little bit. "But if you want to go ask him out, I won't stop you. I don't think it'll go well, but be my guest."

Hadley looked me up and down, trying to figure out if I was kidding or not. In the end she walked away from me without another word. I sighed and went back to my towel where I was immediately surrounded by Tara, Arlene and Claudine, who had deemed this conversation worthy of her peeling herself off her towel.

"That Eric is certainly a pretty boy." Arlene got things going in her own strange way. It was hard to believe she had a boyfriend sometimes with the way she acted. She could go to such extremes, depending on her moods. I didn't quite get her, but I stuck with her because she was generally a sweet person.

"I think your definition of pretty boy differs from mine." I smiled faintly at her.

"So are y'all two dating now?" Tara gave me the hairy eyeball.

"I don't know." I shrugged. "We kissed, though."

Claudine and Arlene were more romantic than Tara, and were fawning all over my story from the day before. Tara looked at me critically, sizing me up to see if I was leaving anything out. I was, of course, since it wasn't all their business. I sure as hell wasn't going to tell them about the shower incident. That was between me, Eric and God. That was more than enough people knowing, thank you.

I looked over Arlene's strawberry red shoulder to see Eric diving to catch the flying plastic disk that had all of the boys to entertained. He popped up out of the water like a Greek God fresh from a bath and my heart skipped a beat. I must have been staring a little too hard because the girls all turned to see what I was looking (gawking) at. Arlene blew a kiss at Rene. Tara rolled her eyes and Claudine nudged me.

"Put your tongue back in your mouth, sweetie." She teased and then adjusted her legs on my towel.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to space out on you." I shook my head and forced my eyes off of Eric's amazing upper half.

"I think it's sweet." Arlene volunteered, which surprised me after the way she'd reacted when I first told her that Eric was coming. "I know I said some nasty things before, but I was just being simple." At least she could admit when she was wrong, unlike Tara, who was still giving Eric the stink eye. "He seems really nice, Sookie. And I heard him saying some really sweet things about you."

"It's good to see you happy, Sookie." Claudine smiled at me.

We were technically related, though you'd never know it. She was my Great Uncle's granddaughter. We didn't look a thing alike, but then I'd taken after my Mom in a lot of ways, and she and Claudine weren't related by blood. While I had my Daddy's blond hair and bright blue eyes, I was shorter and curvy like my Mom. I had her nose, lips and general bone structure.

"Thanks, ladies." I smiled at them and then reached into my bag for my iPod.

"What about you, Tara?" Arlene prompted with a nudge.

"What about me? I know I should be happy for you, Sookie, and I want to be, but he's going to leave eventually. He's going to go back to Sweden and where does that leave you? That leaves you stuck here waiting for more Skype conversations and emails. It won't be enough for you. I just don't want you to end up with your heart broken because you didn't really think this through." I frowned a bit at what Tara was saying. She was right, on some level, but I didn't want to think about that just yet.

"We're going to cross that bridge when we come to it." I said with resolve. We hadn't discussed his departure yet. It was at least a few weeks off.

"I'll remember that when we're eating rocky road by the gallon and you're crying all over me because you miss him so much." Tara's tone was harsh.

"Tara Mae!" Arlene admonished for me.

"Well, it's the truth!" Tara looked a little guilty. "Look, Sook, you know I don't mean to rain on your parade."

I nodded, knowing she really did have my best interests at heart. That was what I loved about Tara. She was never afraid to tell me exactly what she thought, even when she knew I wasn't going to want to hear it. I appreciated her honesty. It was nice to know I could always count on getting the truth from her.

I stayed on the beach with the girls for as long as I could stand it. Swimming in the pond wasn't really all that much fun, but it was just too hot and sticky to stay out of the water. Before I knew it, there was a three way game of chicken going on. Arlene was up on Rene's shoulders. Hadley had climbed on Remy's. I'd started out as a bystander, but was taken completely by surprise when I was suddenly shot into the air with Eric under me. I had the clear height advantage over all the girls, since the only boy who was even close to Eric's height was Eggs, and Tara wouldn't get in the water.

"Going down, Stackhouse." Hadley taunted, her eyes roaming Eric's body.

Even though it was just a game, I took her challenge a little too personal after what she'd said to me earlier. I still wanted to drown her cheating ass, family or not. Our fingers locked and we did our best to throw one another off balance. Since Eric had a good six inches on Remy, I was able to easily overpower Hadley. She was just about to say something when I gave one more good shove, sending her toppling over backwards, taking Remy down with her.

Hadley came up sputtering and screeching that I'd ruined her hair. Who the hell goes to the beach with their hair done? I answered that question silently when I looked over at Claudine. She definitely spent time in front of the mirror before heading over to the pond, but then Claudine never put anything higher than her calves in the water. Hadley gave me the death glare and slapped at Remy when he tried to help her up.

"I've seen wet cats look less angry than her." Eric looked up at me.

"She deserved it." I shrugged, earning my an arched eyebrow from Eric. "I'll tell you about it later."

Eric slowly sank into the water so I could climb off of him. We went up to the beach to lay in the sun for a bit while Eggs manned the small grill someone had brought with them. We had lunch and talked for a while. Apparently everyone else was planning on staying past dark. Once school got out more kids showed up. Wood was collected for a bonfire on the small beach and that was our cue to pack it up and head home.

"Do we have to go?" Eric looked a little disappointed to be leaving.

"I told Mom we'd be home for dinner." That perked Eric right up. I rolled my eyes and shook out our towels before putting them back in my big bag.

Eric watched as I slipped on my sundress, mourning the loss of my bikini clad body. I gave him the same look when he put on his t-shirt. We laughed at each other and then said our goodbyes. Eric folded himself into the front seat of my car again, only it was trickier the second time around on account of the sunburn he'd acquired.

"You're a bit pink there, buster." I gave him a sympathetic frown, but then my face lightened up a bit. "I guess that just means I'll have to put aloe on your back."

Eric gave me a goofy grin that made his eyebrows dance. I laughed and forced myself to keep my eyes on the road. Eric reached for my hand and kissed my knuckles. How had I gone as long as I had without being close to him? I sighed and felt myself relax. I hadn't even realized I was tense.

"I had a good time today." I caught him smiling at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Me too. The guys seemed to like you."

"Not as much as your cousin. She grabbed me under the water before we started playing chicken." Eric confessed and I almost drove off the road.

"I'm going to trip her at the dance tomorrow." I muttered under my breath.

"You don't like to share, do you?" Eric teased and kissed my hand again. I blushed a bit. "It's okay. I don't mind. I don't want to share you either."

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**Your reviews have been awesome so far and have really inspired me to continue with the writing. I'm currently writing chapter 17. I've been doing lots of research and planning for this story. Kind of makes me want to take off and do a little roadtripping of my own. If anyone has any insider info on the American southwest that they want to share, I'd appreciate it. Eric & Sookie will be traveling to Roswell, Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, up the coast of Cali, Reno, Salt Lake City, Denver, and Mt. Rushmore so I'll take any info you got that isn't easily found on the web.**

**Always, reviews are love! Thanks for reading!  
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	7. Kiss The Rain

I'll make this quick so we can get to the good stuff. First, thank you for all of the reviews, comments, favorites, alerts, etc. that I have gotten for this story. You guys rock my socks. Secondly, thank you to **meadowslark, lovingvikingeric, Miral, AshleySue, ColorOfAngels, 1-BAMF-1, and Miss-Veronika** for their offers (and in some cases PMs with links and other lovely tidbits) to supply me with info for the roadtrip. I really appreciate it! You're helping to make this story better and I heart you for it. This chapter is unbeta'd once again because I'm an impatient poster and I hate to keep you waiting. So forgive my errors. I tried to catch them all.

**I do not own any of these characters. If I did, I'd be sending the Viking to the ladies above with personalized thank you notes ;)**

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**Chapter Seven: Kiss The Rain**

**SPOV**

I remember thinking it was cheesy when the prom theme was announced. That was until I found my dress. Then finding out that I would be going to the dance with Eric instead of alone, I was convinced it was perfect. It was like the fates were lining up just for this one night. I tried not to put too much stock into it. I was afraid something would happen to ruin it and I really, really wanted it to be the best night of my life so far.

After dinner Mom and I were going into Shreveport so I could get my nails done. Normally I'd do them myself but this was a special occasion. Dad offered to take Eric to find a tux or a suit, at least, but Eric had actually brought one with him. I was impressed to learn he had a tux. He told me he'd skipped his own prom on account of it being a lame tradition.

"If you don't want to go with me, you don't have to." I spoke quietly.

"I wouldn't have said yes if I didn't want to go." He reassured me with a gentle smile. His eyes sparkled and I felt better.

"I'll be back in a few hours. Make sure Daddy behaves himself." I rose my voice for the second part of that, and Daddy laughed.

"Don't worry, honey bee, I'll be good." Daddy promised me.

Eric followed me around the corner out of sight and bent to kiss me goodbye. I smiled up at him and said, "Remind me why I'm leaving again."

"Because your mother wants to pamper you." Eric touched the tip of my nose with his finger.

I nibbled my bottom lip and rose up on my toes to kiss him once more. That was it. I was cutting myself off. "When I get back I'll see what I can do about that sunburn."

"I'll be waiting." He kissed my forehead and then I forced myself to walk away. It wasn't easy.

I started thinking about what Tara had said at the beach. How was I going to let him leave? Maybe sleeping together was a bad idea. I couldn't imagine things would get any easier if we did. I slumped down into the passenger's seat of Mom's car and buckled up. Mom waited until we were on Hummingbird road before she told me she'd made an appointment for me with Dr. Ludwig on Monday after school.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Sookie?" Going to my mother about this hadn't been ideal, but I also knew she understood where I was coming from.

"I want to be prepared in case something happens. You were right." I didn't want to go into any further detail about it.

"So you haven't yet?" Mom's tone was unmistakably nervous.

"You raised me better than that." I glared at my mother, although given the things I'd done in the last twenty-four hours I really had no right to be giving her the death glare.

"I raised your brother the same way and look how he turned out." Mom was impressed she didn't have any grandbabies. I couldn't blame her one bit. I'd joked more than once we needed to take Jason in for neutering. He didn't find that funny. "I'm not judging you, honey. You're young. You should have experiences."

I groaned internally. It was one thing to talk to my Mom about birth control. It was another to talk to her about my 'experiences'. I didn't want to hear her stories any more than I wanted to tell my own. Ew.

We got to Chow's a half an hour later with Chow himself waiting for us. Mom swore by him but I was generally perfectly content to do it myself. He led us to the back and set us up in those fancy chairs. I will admit the massage that came along with the treatment to my feet was nice. While I got my feet done, Mom got her nails filled. When I was done we swapped places. Since my dress was white I just got a french manicure. For some added sparkle, Chow glued little rhinestones on my nails. It was definitely more sophisticated than I would have been able to do on my own.

"Thank you, Chow, it looks wonderful." I smiled up at him from the little station where my nails were baking under the UV lights.

"You are most welcome." He patted my shoulder and spoke with a thick accent.

A half hour later Mom was done and ready to go. The drive back to Bon Temps was a relatively quiet one. Mom and I had never really had the growing pains of most mother/daughter relationships. I'd always been able to tell her anything and everything. We weren't quite Lorelei and Rory but we were still pretty close. But it felt weird to talk to her about Eric in regards to the evolution of our relationship when I wasn't even sure what it was evolving into just yet.

Mom parked the car behind the house but stopped me from bolting out of the car like I wanted to. "Honey, hold on a second." Mom rubbed my arm. Her voice was a bit shaky. "Not that you need my permission, or anything, but I want you to know that I like Eric. We talked for quite a while this morning before you got up. Whether or not he's said as much to you, it's obvious to me that he cares about you a great deal. If I hadn't seen that from him I wouldn't be so okay with the appointment I made for you. You're a smart girl. You always have been. I think Eric is a good choice."

A tear fell from Mom's eye and soon I was crying right along with her. She lunged over the arm rest between us and pulled me into a hug. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. Mom stroked my hair gently and kissed the side of my head.

"Thanks, Mom." I whispered to her before we pulled apart.

She wiped away my tears with the pads of her thumbs. "You're welcome, baby. Now go take care of that boy's back. Lord knows it won't be comfortable tomorrow."

I cringed on Eric's behalf and then went into the house to see what I could do about his sunburn.

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**EPOV**

Sitting with Corbett wasn't nearly as painful as it could have been. He put on some old war movie I'd never seen before. It was brutal and bloody. It kept Sookie out of my head, which was a bit of a miracle. At least I would have something to think about that would keep me from wanting to throw her down on the nearest flat surface and have my way with her. Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't counting the minutes until she got back.

We were an hour into the movie when Hadley showed up. "Hey, Unc, how's it going?" Hadley plopped down so close to me she may as well have been sitting in my lap.

Corbett didn't look away from the television. "Fine." He was engrossed in the movie. "If you two are going to start chattering, take it outside or in another room."

Hadley grabbed my hand and tried to pull me off the couch. She was even smaller than Sookie. No way was that munchkin taking me anywhere I didn't want to go. She batted her eyes at me.

I leaned over and whispered, "I'm watching a movie."

Hadley pouted but let go of my hand. She stayed quiet for a few minutes but then she started rubbing my arm. I tried to pull away from her but there wasn't really anywhere to go. When her hand moved from my arm to my thigh I quickly got up and announced I was going to bed. I glared at Hadley, giving her the message I didn't want to be followed. I closed the door behind me and locked it for good measure. I located my iPod and flopped back on the bed to wait for Sookie to get back. I thought about texting her to tell her Hadley had invaded the house but figured texting might be difficult if her nails were wet.

I got about ten minutes of quiet before there was a knock on my door. I didn't answer. I figured Hadley would get the message that I was sleeping and leave me alone. I was wrong. She popped the lock on the door and let herself into the room. She moved to the end of the bed and was about to put her knee on it when lights flashed on my wall. A car had just pulled in. She stood there like a deer caught in the headlights. I removed my earbuds.

"You should go, Hadley." I glared at her. I was in no mood for her bullshit and I didn't want to end up fighting with Sookie because of it.

"Come with me." Was she kidding?

"No, thanks. You have a boyfriend. I have Sookie."

"You could have me. Remy's boring and Sookie... well, Sookie's a virgin." She said this as if Sookie should be ashamed of herself. "Unless you're into collecting virgins."

"Maybe I am and in that case, you don't qualify. Goodnight." I dismissed her with a wave.

She had the audacity to look at me like I was the one who'd dragged her in here only to call her a whore and throw her out again. She spun on her heel and slammed the door behind her. She must have gone out the front door because I didn't hear her say a word to anyone on her way out. I breathed a sigh of relief and waited for Sookie.

There was a quiet knock on the door and then Sookie peeked inside. "Are you awake?" She whispered.

"Yeah, come in. I was in here hiding from Hadley."

"She's here?"

"She was. She left before you came in. She accused me of collecting virgins. I told her maybe she was right which meant she didn't count so she was free to go." I grinned at Sookie, who gasped in amusement and then covered her mouth.

"That's horrible but so true." She let out an unrestrained laugh and I laughed right along with her. "I would have paid to see her face when you said that!"

"Next time I'll try to have a camera. Did you have fun?"

"I did, as a matter of fact. I still think it's pretty much a waste of money, but at least I will have lovely fingers and toes for tomorrow." She wiggled her fingers at me since she was standing too far away for me to see her feet.

"Very nice." I nodded my approval, not that she needed it.

She closed the door behind her and then sat on the edge of the bed near my feet. "So, there's something I have to tell you. I'm sure this is going to sound really weird but I feel like you should know about it since it sort of involves you. I mean, I probably wouldn't even be doing this if it wasn't for you."

She was rambling. It was almost as cute as when she blushed.

"What's going on, Sookie?" I sat up and wound my earbuds around my iPod.

She took a few deep breaths and then moved a little closer to me on the bed. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "Okay, so I have a doctor's appointment on Monday after I'm done with my finals."

"Are you okay?" I was suddenly worried she was going to tell me she had cancer or some other horrible disease that would only give her a few months to live. Don't ask me why.

Sookie looked at me strangely but then shook her head. "Yeah. Yes, I'm fine. I'm perfectly healthy." I breathed a sigh of relief at that. "It's just... well, the thing is with all the stuff we talked about earlier, I thought maybe it would be a good idea for me to be more pro-active about things. I don't know what's going to happen or how things are going to end up for us but I know that there's a very good chance that we're going to take a pretty big step soon in our..."

"Relationship?" I finished for her and she smiled.

"Yes, in our relationship. I know you said you wouldn't pressure me-"

"And I won't."

"I know you won't." She put one of her hands on my ankle. "I just want to make sure that we've got an extra layer of protection between us so that we don't end up having to make a really difficult decision later on. Neither of us are ready to be parents and I don't want us to have to worry about it quite so much. So that's why I'm going to the doctor on Monday. I decided I'm going on the pill."

She could have knocked me over with a feather. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I think it's the best thing I could do for myself. Eventually being able to walk away from you is going to be impossible and when that time comes, I want to know that we're going to be okay." Sookie locked eyes with me.

"I love you, Sookie." I said before I could stop myself, but I was relieved to find that it didn't sound or feel weird to say it. I felt better. Like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"I know you." She smiled. She wasn't getting it.

"No, I mean I really, really love you. Not like we're friends and you're great love. I mean the real thing. Like you're in my heart forever." I explained to her.

"Oh." She looked down at her hand on my ankle, her smile growing just a little bit more as the words sunk in. I waited for her to say something in return. "I love you, too, Eric."

I moved slowly, but I got closer to her. I was just about to kiss her when Corbett filled the doorway behind her. He cleared his throat and we both looked in his direction. "Mom and I are off to bed. You have five minutes in here before Bonnie and Clyde start getting fidgety." He warned.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, Corbett."

Corbett grunted and then went across the hall to the bedroom and closed the door. I hadn't even seen Michele go in there. "How's your back?" Sookie asked me.

"Tight. It feels like it's on fire."

"Let me see?" Sookie stood up.

I stood in front of her and peel off my shirt. She sucked in a breath when I turned around. "I'm sure it'll be fine tomorrow."

I knew her hand was warm because I'd just felt it on my leg. Yet when she touched my back, it was cool. Maybe I was more fucked up than I realized. She grabbed my hand and tugged me toward the kitchen. She gestured for me to sit at the table while she got out a bowl and a bottle of vinegar. She went to get a washcloth and then came back to the kitchen.

"You're going to want to take a shower after this, but it'll take the sting off the sunburn." Sookie explained as she poured the vinegar into the bowl.

She dunked the cloth into the liquid and then squeezed most of it out. The smell wasn't very pleasant but I would take her word that it would help. The second she pressed the cloth to my back, I felt better. Slowly, she dragged the cloth across my skin, blowing cool air on me as she worked. It felt heavenly. I shivered a little, making her giggle behind me.

"Feel better?" She asked when she was finished.

"Normally, I'd ask you to kiss it better, but I assume that's out of the question?" I looked over my shoulder at her.

"Well, if you play your cards right you might still get a goodnight kiss out of the deal." She winked at me and then went to dispose of the vinegar and wash the bowl.

"Where'd you learn this trick?"

"My Gran. When I was little I always used to get sunburn before I'd start tanning. I'm happy to say that's not an issue anymore." Sookie came and sat in my lap after I turned around on the chair.

"You sure you want to sit here? Could be dangerous."

She shrugged. "I'll take my chances."

"Brave girl." I smirked at her. She wiggled in my lap. I stiffened, more literally than figuratively, and pulled her face to mine. "Keep that up and I don't know if I can be held responsible for what happens."

"You wouldn't." Our lips met and I could feel her smile against my teeth.

"I don't know. I can see all sorts of possibilities for you, me and this kitchen table." I teased and she giggled again.

"You think I want to lose my virginity on my Gran's kitchen table?" She arched an eyebrow at me. I couldn't help but laugh at that. "I _am_ a lady, you know?"

"Yes, I know." I smiled at her.

"Glad we got that settled." Sookie stood up and I pulled her back down.

We sat there looking at each other for a while. We didn't say anything but we didn't really need to. She ran her fingers through my hair a few times before suggesting we go for another walk. I agreed since I wasn't ready to call it a night just yet, as tired as I was. If I could have, I would have stayed awake twenty-four hours a day for the duration of my trip. I wouldn't care if that meant sitting in a chair for eight hours and watching Sookie sleep. It would be worth it, as far as I was concerned.

We walked a different way than we had the night before so we wouldn't run into her neighbor in the woods. "So what's the deal with you and that Bill guy, anyway? Did you ever go out?"

Sookie laughed, swinging our hands back and forth as we walked. "Never as anything other than friends. Maybe he got the wrong idea when we sat together at a movie once. He was already there and my Mom dropped me off and went to get her nails done. I saw Bill sitting in the back of the theater by himself and I figured rather than sitting alone, I'd sit with him. It was going okay until half way through the movie he tried to hold my hand."

"And you shot him down? Poor little fella." I snickered and she elbowed me.

"You hush." She looked at me out of the corner of her eye. "Bill's a nice guy. He's just not for me."

"Obviously." I put my arm around her and pulled her closer to me.

We walked to the end of her driveway, which was about a quarter of a mile long. The road was empty and dark. The air was as thick as it had been the night before but it wasn't quite as warm outside. We stood together and looked up at the stars overhead. There were clouds in the distance, suggesting a thunderstorm. That didn't bode well since Sookie didn't have central air conditioning in her house. If we had to close the windows, it was going to get really warm really quick. As if on cue, there was lightning in the distance.

"I bet you've never heard rain on a tin roof before, have you?" Sookie grinned up at me.

"No, can't say I have."

"Then you are in for a treat." Sookie turned her face and kissed my hand that was resting on her shoulder.

"I'm not allowed upstairs after ten, remember?"

"What my parents don't know won't hurt them. Besides, if it starts pouring we're going to have to close the windows and there's no way I'm leaving you in that room all night without some sort of cooling device. There's a window unit air conditioner in Jason's room." Sookie turned us toward the house again.

"Are you sure this isn't just some ploy to be right across the hall from me?" I tightened my grip on her.

"With you smelling like you do? Not likely." She stuck her tongue out at me.

We walked slowly toward her house. The storm that was brewing got closer and closer. Lightning cracked and fizzled overhead and thunder rolled right after it. The wind picked up and it was easy to smell the rain that would be falling soon. Sookie left me standing on her front porch while she went to the cars to make sure all of the windows were closed. She stacked some patio chairs up on the porch so they wouldn't get blown around in the storm.

She was still around the side of the house checking on one thing or another when the rain started. It wasn't little rain like we'd get back home to let us know a storm was on its way. No, this rain was falling in big drops from the start. By the time Sookie made it back to the porch, she was drenched. She looked like a drowned kitten. Her little pink sundress clung to her body. Her hair hung down her back in limp tangles of gold.

"Ah! I'm a mess!" Sookie laughed and tried to brush water off her arms.

"I can go get you a towel if you want?"

"That'd be great." She smiled at me and I left her side to go in and get her a towel.

When I got back out front she was spinning around on the lawn with her arms out and her face tilted toward the sky. Apparently she'd gotten over being a mess. She was laughing as she spun and if I didn't know any better, I would have thought she'd lost her mind.

"Come on, Eric!" She didn't look at me. She just kept on spinning.

She didn't have to ask me twice. I walked out to where she was and caught her hands. Our fingers laced together and we spun in circles until she was so dizzy she almost fell over. I caught her and somehow managed to keep us both upright. Falling into what was rapidly becoming a mud pit in her front yard wouldn't have done either of us any good. As much as I would have enjoyed a repeat performance of the previous night's shower, it was probably a bad idea.

Instead I settled for holding Sookie up while surprisingly cool summer rain fell on us. She tilted her face up to mine, her dizziness apparent in her eyes. "I've never kissed someone in the rain before." She looked drunk. She giggled for good measure.

"Then allow me to change that." I smoothed some of her hair back from her face and kissed her.

I found myself wondering how I had ever kissed anyone else and felt like it was worth the effort. Already, there was a change in the way she kissed me. Yesterday she had been more innocent and unsure. Today there was more passion and want in the kisses. Her hands settled on my waist while mine cupped her face. I don't know how long we stood there, but by the time we pulled apart, the rain had stopped. We were both breathless and definitely wanting more.

"We should go inside." I suggested. She nodded but said nothing.

My hands sank to find hers and we walked side by side into the house. She let go of my hand to wring out her hair. She pulled off her sundress and I groaned. Seeing her standing there so close to naked and soaking wet was cause for painful swelling in my shorts. I couldn't stop staring at her. She dried off her arms and legs with the towel and then came over to me to dry off my chest. My shorts were soaked and obviously tented. She didn't comment on it, though.

"I think it's better if you go inside first." I took the towel from her.

"You're not tired yet?"

"I'm wiped out, but if I follow you inside right now there's no way you're going upstairs alone." I was dead serious about it.

Her eyes dropped to my shorts again. She blushed and played with her hair. "There's a party at the pond tomorrow night after the dance. Most people are going to camp out there. That's what I was planning on doing before you told me you were coming to visit. If you'd rather do something else, I understand."

"No, that sounds fun." I touched her cheek. I really didn't want her to go inside but if she didn't, there was going to be more trouble than there already was.

"I'm sorry to leave you hanging." Sookie said awkwardly.

"You don't need to apologize, Sookie." I stepped closer and kissed her forehead. "You're worth waiting for."

She sighed heavily. "You're good with the words, Mr. Northman."

I about lost it right there. "Sookie, you really should go inside now."

She nodded, though I could tell she wasn't happy about it. "See you in the morning. If it gets too hot downstairs, it really will be okay if you crash in Jason's room."

"I'll be fine. Sleep well." I kissed her once more and then watched her walk into the house.

I stayed outside until I could barely keep my eyes open. I made my way into the house, making sure to latch the screen door behind me. I pulled off my wet clothes and put on a dry pair of boxers before falling face down on the bed. I was asleep instantly.

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**First there was Eric dripping wet in a pond. Now we've got him all sexied up in a thunderstorm. What else could I possibly have up my sleeve? **

**Reviews are love. Thanks for reading!  
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	8. Angels & Demons

Well hello there! I slacked off a bit on answering reviews last night because I got caught up with my writing, but rest assured I've read every single one of your reviews and I plan to respond to them as soon as the muses go out for a smoke break. Soooo...it's prom. Who else is excited? I know I am! *squee* Big thanks to **hearttorn** for her superior beta skills. Hopefully she didn't feel bullied into editing this chapter. I'm such a hurricane sometimes.

**I do not own any of these characters. I just like to dress them up in formal wear.**

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**Chapter Eight: Angels & Demons**

**SPOV**

Aunt Linda came over in the early afternoon to do my hair for me. She managed to do some sort of intricate braid with half of my hair so when it was pinned just so, it looked like a halo. She took a big curling iron to what was left hanging and then sprayed some sort of hairspray on it that had glitter in it. Mom helped me with my makeup, though I didn't plan on wearing much. Since I was wearing a white dress it made me look tanner than usual. The dance was scheduled to start with dinner at seven. We were supposed to meet at Claudine's for pictures at five thirty. I was ready a little after four.

Poor Eric was feeling pretty miserable because of his sunburn. I'd mopped him down with more vinegar when he woke up in the morning, but I'm not sure how much good it did him. There was a bit of awkwardness between us after the way we left things the night before. I knew he meant it when he said there was no need for me to apologize, but I still felt bad. While it was nice to know that I excited him as much as I did (and I found it amazing I'd never noticed during our web cam chats), I felt like a great big tease for leaving him all worked up.

When I told Eric that he reminded me of what he'd said to me in the letter he wrote for my first day of high school, "hunger is the best flavouring," he'd whispered it to me and then kissed my hand.

I hadn't thought to put those words into this particular context, but maybe he was right about that. He probably was. I know I blushed and smiled at his words. Thankfully I was busy enough that afternoon that I didn't really have a whole lot of time to think about it too much. I had to dig out the tent from storage and find Jason's sleeping bag for Eric. Although, I wasn't sure he was going to fit in it. He was a bit too tall. Luckily, it wouldn't be getting cold outside.

I spent an hour in the tub, letting warm water with rose scented oil in it work its magic on me. By the time I got out, I was ready to take a nap - too bad there wasn't time for it. I'd slept later than I'd planned and even Eric had slept later. I had a quick lunch and then went about getting ready. I'd told Mom she wasn't allowed to cry. If she did, I'd start crying and then my makeup would be ruined - and there was no time for starting over.

"Baby, you look beautiful." Mom blinked back her tears.

"Thanks, Mom." I smiled at her, fiercely telling myself that I wasn't going to cry.

We both took a deep breath and then Mom shook herself to get rid of her tears. "I'll save it for after you've gone."

I snickered and then reached for my little clutch. I smiled at the pearls on my wrist. They matched the ones in my ears. They had belonged to my Gran. She'd given them to me for my birthday. I loved them immediately and knew they'd be perfect with my dress. The bodice was wrapped in chiffon and embellished with tiny pearls. The dress had an empire waist with a satin skirt covered in more airy layers of chiffon. The dress weighed next to nothing. Honestly, I felt almost naked when I was wearing it, it was so light.

My tan glowed against all of the white. My eyes sparkled. Mom had dusted around my eyes with a shimmery shadow that ended up looking a bit like Drew Barrymore at the end of 'Ever After.' It was really pretty and definitely more dramatic than what I would normally do. All that was missing was gossamer wings and I'd really look like an angel. I slipped on my silver strappy sandals that would only put a tiny dent in the height difference between Eric and I.

I'd made sure to pack a pair of flip flops for later, since I knew there was no way in the world I was going to make it all night in the heels. I was a jeans and sneakers kind of girl. High heels just weren't for me, even if they did make my legs look longer. I figured in a dress that reached the floor, the length of my legs didn't really make much difference. I shifted nervously in front of my mirror, checking to make sure everything was just the way I wanted it. I slicked on one more coat of pineapple flavored lip gloss and then went to the top of the stairs. I took a deep breath and then started down.

I was afraid to look away from my feet in case I tripped, but once I laid eyes on Eric, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He looked so handsome standing there in his tux! I paused just for a moment to stare at him. I didn't care that I was ogling him in front of my parents and my aunt. I'd spent ten years wondering about him. I figured I was entitled to a good ogle. It was Daddy clearing his throat that got me moving again.

"You hush, Corbett." Mom nudged him.

"Eric laughed and said, "So that's where you get it from." He reached for my hand when I got to the bottom of the stairs. "You look beautiful, Sookie."

Blush and smile, blush and smile, sometimes it seems like that's all I ever do and I was at it again. "Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself."

He bent and kissed my cheek and said, "Himlen måste sakna en ängel." I had no idea what he'd just said, but it sounded lovely and it made chills run up and down my spine. It was an incredible turn on when he spoke Swedish to me.

Then he produced a very pretty wrist corsage. I had no idea where he'd gotten it from. I looked back and forth between my parents, figuring one of them had to be in on it, but they looked about as surprised as I did. Eric had done quite well, having gone with a big white lily. It smelled like spring and was as soft as velvet.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." I squeezed his hand.

"You're welcome." Our eyes locked and I'm pretty sure we had an entire conversation with just one look.

I couldn't find the words to describe how happy I was just then. I felt right. I hadn't realized something was really missing from my life until Eric showed up. Standing there next to him, in the entryway of a house that I'd lived in all my life, made it finally feel like I really was home. I pushed away that little voice that told me not to get too attached because he would be leaving sooner than I wanted. I was going to enjoy the night. I wasn't going to give any more thought to the day when I'd wake up and he wouldn't be there. I wasn't going to put an expiration date on our time together. Not tonight. It could wait until tomorrow.

"We should get going." I squeezed his hand.

"Wait! Hold on!" Mom took off running for her camera and insisted on putting us in various poses and taking about a million pictures before I finally insisted enough was enough.

"Mom, we have to go. If you want more pictures then come over to Claudine's." I knew that'd get her. Mom didn't get along well with Claudine's parents. I couldn't say as I blamed her for it, since they tended to be a bit on snooty side.

My parents weren't rich, that's for sure, but they did just fine. They supported their kids and paid all of their bills on time. They weren't rolling in luxury but that was just fine with them. It was fine with me, too. We had enough and that was all any of us ever wanted.

Mom hugged me gently while Daddy kissed my cheeks and told me I was beautiful. Daddy was always good about complimenting me, even if he always said the same three things. He shook Eric's hand and made him promise to watch out for me - as if that would be a problem. I was pretty sure Eric would keep a much closer eye on me than Daddy would have liked. Aunt Linda air kissed me and made another comment that bordered on inappropriate about how snug Eric's pants were. I just rolled my eyes and apologize profusely to Eric once we were on our way.

"Now I'm really glad I didn't go to the dance at my school. I don't think I could have worn one of these things twice." Eric tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"Not comfortable, huh?" My brows furrowed in sympathy.

"Not really, but it's worth it to see you in that dress." He smiled over at me, making my heart flutter and then do flip flops in my stomach.

"So, I feel like I should warn you that I love to dance. I don't know if I ever told you that before."

"No, you didn't, but I sort of got that impression from the way you'd dance around your room sometimes when we were chatting."

There were times when I'd leave my camera on without realizing it, only to get a message from Eric a while later, asking me what I was listening to. It turned out we didn't have much in common where music was concerned, but I was open to new things. Of course he listened to a lot of music in Swedish that I couldn't understand outside of a few words he'd taught me over the last few months. Eventually I wouldn't mind learning the language. It would be nice to be able to have a conversation with him without most people knowing what we were saying. That would have come in especially handy tonight.

Before I could stop myself I blurted out, "You have no idea how sexy it is when you speak Swedish." Hell, I was pretty sure Eric could read me the instruction manual for my DVD player and I'd get all hot and bothered by it.

He gave me a smoldering look that almost had me driving off the road. "Jag kommer ihåg att när du är arg på mig."

"What'd you just say?" The humor in his voice had me very curious.

"It's a secret." He winked at me.

"Eric!" I whined, but his expression told me he wasn't going to tell me. "Fine, don't tell me." I huffed.

"Du är väldigt söt när du är arg."

"It stops being sexy when you use it to taunt me." I glared over at him.

"Then perhaps I will just whisper in your ear when we're dancing later." He suggested with a smile and then kissed my palm. He played dirty.

Apparently he forgot that I could, too.

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**EPOV**

Beautiful didn't begin to describe Sookie when she came down the steps at her parents' house. It was like one of those slow motion movie entrances from where I was standing. My heart stopped, then restarted at triple its usual rhythm. Her smile was radiant. Her eyes were glowing. She looked like she was floating down the stairs. I started wondering how I had ever lived without her. How in the hell was I going to leave her?

I tried not to think in terms of how little time we had. Anything was possible. Maybe she would come with me to Chicago? I'd been thinking about it all day. I didn't know what her plans were for the summer. We hadn't gotten that far yet. I'd told my aunt I would most likely stay in Louisiana for two weeks but that was before I'd been face to face, mouth to mouth, with Sookie. There were other body parts of ours that were anxious to meet as well, and I wouldn't rush it. I'd told her no pressure and I meant it. We would do this on her time table.

We arrived at Claudine's house to find we were the last of the bunch. I was incredibly thankful I wasn't a girl. Seeing how much work that went into getting dressed was exhausting in and of itself. While Sookie definitely looked stunning, I found that I preferred her simple sundresses and flip flops. It was her. It was natural. She also looked much more comfortable in those things than she did in the gown she was wearing.

Arlene came tottering up to us on four inch heels that couldn't have been comfortable. She was wearing a dress that was pretty much the same color as the swim suit she'd been in the day before. It was a mess. I did, however, notice that the dress was the same color as her eyes. Her long red hair was curled and pinned away from her face. She wore too much makeup and ended up looking like a cross between a streetwalker and a porcelain doll. It was about as attractive as it sounds.

Tara came up to say hello as well. She looked a bit more relaxed than she had the day before. I knew she was Sookie's closest girlfriend and her opinion of me carried weight. Yet every time I tried to talk to her she made excuses for why she couldn't stay and chat. I figured I'd ask her to dance later and see if I could pick her brain then. Sookie had told me Tara could be blunt, almost to a fault, but she meant well. I was curious to see if she'd be as honest with me as she was with Sookie.

In all, there were six couples gathered at Claudine's house. I noticed Bill standing off by himself looking at me with jealousy. I couldn't blame him for that. Sookie was obviously the shining star in this bunch. She looked like an angel, floating from person to person to compliment a dress or a necklace. She fawned over Claudine's beaded bag. The only person there I didn't know was the girl who appeared to be Bill's date. She looked about as out of place as Bill and her expression was just as sour. At least they were a matching set.

"Picture time!" Claudine announced with a great big grin on her face.

Her father had hired a professional photographer to come and take pictures. It seemed a bit over the top to me but Sookie explained this was par for the course with the Cranes. She'd told me Claudine was her a relative of hers but I failed to see the resemblance between them. Claudine was pretty, but she was too tall for me and she certainly didn't have the same curves Sookie did. I'd take curves over height any day of the week. I was tall enough for both of us.

We all lined up, with Bill shoving to be closer to Sookie and Hadley trying to get closer to me. In the end, Sookie took my hand at the last minute and pulled me to the end of the line, leaving Bill and Hadley together. Neither of them looked very happy, which only made Sookie and me smile bigger. I whispered in Swedish in her ear in between shots and she responded by giggling and wiggling against me.

I started reciting multiplication tables in my head, hoping that would keep things tame. When that didn't work, I thought back to the war movie I'd watched with Corbett. That seemed to do the trick. There are fewer things less sexy than watching a man get napalmed. It was pretty brutal.

Before long we were loading into a mini-bus that would take us to the dance. The second the doors on the bus closed, the alcohol appeared. Sookie looked a bit nervous when someone handed her a glass of champagne but she didn't decline it. I knew she wasn't a drinker. I'd asked before. She admitted to getting drunk once when she'd gone to visit her brother at school. She'd spent the morning after wondering how she ended up sleeping behind the couch with her brother's roommate, Mel, and nursing the worst headache of her life.

"You don't have to drink that if you don't want to." I reminded her in a whisper.

"I know." She smiled at the bubbling liquid. "One won't hurt me, though, right?"

"I think you'll be fine." I winked at her.

We didn't wait for the rest of the group. We clinked glasses and drank. Hadley stumbled over to us with a bottle of tequila. "Here, Sook, take a shot. It'll loosen you up."

"No, thanks, I'm fine. I want to remember prom." Sookie pushed the bottle away.

"Oh, come on! Live a little! Don't be such a stick in the mud." Hadley put the bottle closer to Sookie's mouth.

"Hadley, I said no!" Sookie slapped at her cousin's hand.

"Had, come on, let her be." Remy tried to pull Hadley back.

"Get off me! You don't own me, Remy!" Hadley shrieked and took a swing at Remy.

"Hadley, what is the matter with you?" Sookie looked mortified by her cousin's behavior.

"You think you're so perfect! Well, you're not!" Hadley shouted.

I didn't mind an awkward situation but Sookie was clearly upset by Hadley's commentary. Remy did his best to try and corral his date to the back of the bus but Hadley fought him the whole way, ranting and raving about what a 'prissy bitch' Sookie was. I felt my hands ball into fists. I'd never wanted to hit a woman more than I wanted to hit Hadley.

"She's just drunk, Eric. It's not worth it." Sookie leaned against me and uncurled one of my fists into its more natural state. She threaded her fingers with mine and stroked the back of my hand with her thumb. "Don't let her get to you."

I couldn't recall ever being quite that angry before. Something primal had risen up in me that didn't take kindly to Sookie being insulted like that, especially in public and by a _family member_ of all things. I couldn't fathom how Sookie could sit there and be so calm over the things Hadley had just said. Unless this was a regular thing?

"You're too nice to her. If you let her walk all over you that's all she'll ever do." I whispered to her.

"We'll talk tomorrow when she's sobered up. She'll apologize and we'll move on. Talking to her now won't do one bit of good. I just want to have fun tonight." Sookie looked up at me with pleading blue eyes. I was a sucker for them.

"As you wish." I kissed her forehead.

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**SPOV**

I was so angry with Hadley I could have spit tacks, but it wouldn't have done much good. I tried to figure out when things had gone sour between us. We'd been like sisters when we were growing up. I don't know when that changed. Well, actually, I do. It was right around the time Hadley got her first boyfriend. She was always encouraging me to go out and date. It wasn't that I didn't want to, necessarily, so much as it just wasn't that important to me. I figured if the right guy came along, I'd know it. I wouldn't just go out with someone because I didn't want to be alone. I wasn't afraid of being single the way lots of girls were.

When the bus pulled up to the high school, Hadley made a beeline for the doors. I was more than content to hang back and let her be the first one off the bus. My plan was to stay as far away from her as possible. She was in one of her pity party moods and I wasn't interested in helping her lift her spirits. She was old enough to behave herself. Besides, if she was so unhappy with her life there was no amount of her giving me a hard time that was going to change it. It was all on Hadley to make things better.

Eric and I were the last ones off the bus, only because Eric had insisted that Bill and Saleh go ahead of us. Saleh was glaring at me like I was secretly trying to steal her man. The second they were past us, Eric and I shared a look at that had us both rolling our eyes. I had no interest in Bill whatsoever. I did, however, feel bad for Saleh who was clearly just a girl on his arm and nothing more, even though she obviously wanted to be. I wondered what Bill must have said to her to make her give me the stink eye like she did.

Eric stepped ahead of me and held his hand out when I got to the steps at the door of the bus. I took it and carefully lifted my skirt a little with my free hand to make sure I didn't go tumbling face first out of the bus. It would have been just my luck for something like that to happen. We walked together, hand in hand, to the decorated gym. The theme for the night was Angels & Demons, which I found interesting, to say the least. As if in perfect contrast to my pearly white dress, Hadley was wearing black and red. I just hoped we wouldn't be facing off again at any point. I really did want to have fun at the dance.

Unfortunately Eric and I ended up at the same table as Hadley _and_ Bill. Eric kissed my hand and leaned over to whisper, "Ignore them. You're the only one here who matters."

I couldn't stop myself. I grabbed his face and kissed him. I mean really laid one on him in front of everyone. I heard Hadley snicker in disgust. I felt Bill glaring in our direction. When we pulled apart I was pretty sure my expression matched Eric's dazed one. Tara was shaking her head just a little, shocked at my behavior since I wasn't usually the sort to go and do something like that. Arlene, on the other hand, nudged Rene and asked why he never kissed her like that. Go figure.

Watching Eric try various southern dishes at dinner was interesting. The food was catered in from a restaurant in Shreveport that specialized in Creole cooking. The only thing Eric seemed to recognize without help was the shrimp remoulade. Only his his neck of the woods it was more common to see it on a roast beef sandwich or as a dip for french fries. He also mentioned it wasn't uncommon to see the sauce used for dipping with fish eyeballs. That brought conversation at our table to a screeching halt.

"You don't eat fish eyes, do you?" Arlene looked like she might puke. I couldn't blame her.

"That was a mistake I only made once." Eric laughed and proceeded to tell a story from his childhood that I'd never heard before. It was a cute story and everyone was laughing by the end of it. Everyone but Bill, that is. He had yet to lose his sour puss.

After that we had crawfish bisque. Eric seemed to tolerate it rather well. Then we had a choice for dinner but Eric and I both had Crawfish Étouffée. It was delicious. Up until that night, I'd thought no one could make Étouffée better than my Daddy. Daddy couldn't cook a whole lot when a grill wasn't involved, but he was a master at making Étouffée. Eric pronounced the dish delicious and picked off my plate when I was done. The boy really did have a hollow leg.

He spied someone with a pork chop and dirty rice and I saw a hint of longing in his eye. "You know, I could make us dinner one night. I can cook."

"Marry me." He said with humor in his voice so I knew he was kidding. That didn't stop visions of me walking down the aisle of a church with him waiting for me at the alter from invading my brain. I quickly chased them away. Too soon. Way, way too soon.

"You hush." I nudged him and nabbed a fritter from a basket toward the center of the table. "Have you tried this?" I held up the second half of my fritter.

Without hesitation Eric leaned over and took the bite I hadn't exactly been offering him. "Delicious." He grinned at me.

I shook my head. "I know your Mom didn't raise you in a barn." Eric just laughed.

There was a dessert table set out a while later with pecan pies, bread pudding, banana pudding, slices of doberge cake and trays of beignets that I would be staying away from so I wouldn't end up covered in powdered sugar. Dinner went well if you didn't pay much attention to Hadley or Bill, which I tried hard not to do. If they wanted to have a bad time, that was on them. I planned on enjoying my night and I resolved not to pay them any further mind.

Before long the music started. I decided it was best to lose the strappy sandals and put on my sparkling flip-flops instead. I'd grabbed them out of my overnight bag before we got on the mini-bus at Claudine's house. The shoes had done very little to close the height difference between Eric and I. I was happy that I didn't have to drag him on the dance floor the way many of the girls seemed to have to do with their dates. I was even happier to find out that Eric was a pretty good dancer. He kept up with me no problem and that was no small feat.

The dance floor was packed with people and it was going really well until Hadley pushed her way between us and started grinding on Eric. He handled the situation about as gracefully as he could, by grabbing her shoulders and hold her away from him until Remy could come and corral her away again. Hadley, of course, was too drunk not to make a scene and started kicking and screaming as Remy pulled her out of the ballroom.

I bit my back anger, my chin trembling just a little. "Hey, hey, it's okay." Eric put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"No, it's not okay." I shook my head, trying my hardest not to cry.

The song changed from some top 40 hit to a slower song. Eric wrapped me in his arms and started swaying back and forth. I took a few deep breaths, inhaling the delicious aroma of his cologne and I started to relax against him. I moved in time with him and wrapped my arms around his waist since his neck was too high for me to reach. We held onto each other tightly and as promised, he whispered something in Swedish in my ear that I couldn't understand. It didn't matter. It made me smile all the same.

We danced a few more faster dances before deciding it was time to take a break. I went to go sit down while Eric got us fresh drinks. Tara was sitting alone at our table looking rather worn down. I took the seat next to her and asked what was wrong.

"Mickey's here." Her lower lip trembled.

I sighed heavily. If Eric was bad for me, then Mickey was toxic for her. No matter what asshole stunt he pulled, he was always able to weasel his way back into Tara's good graces. I could concede that Tara had a point about Eric leaving eventually, but at least Eric never hurt me. Mickey had hit Tara on a number of occasions and I wasn't sure he knew what an inside voice was, since he was always shouting at her.

"So? You're here with Eggs. You don't need Mickey." I wanted to be sympathetic, but enough was enough.

"I love him, Sookie. I know it doesn't make any sense, but he's not always mean to me." Tara was making the same old excuses as always.

"That's bullshit and you know it." I shook my head. "You know he showed up here to ruin your night. Looks like he's accomplished his mission."

Eric handed me a drink and then sat down next to me. He pulled my chair closer to his and put his arm around my shoulders. I leaned back against him, reveling in the comfort I found in being so close to him. My hand rested on his thigh and he kissed my forehead. Happy didn't begin to describe how I felt just then.

"Everything okay, Tara? You look a little down." Eric was trying to be nice and I appreciated that.

Tara stayed quiet for a minute and then took the rest of my drink when I offered it to her. She looked over her shoulder. I followed her gaze to see Mickey standing there with another girl. Tara inhaled sharply and looked like she was going to be sick. Eric whispered in my ear again, but it was Swedish so I didn't get what he said. He kissed my ear and then did something that surprised me.

"Tara, would you like to dance?"

Tara whipped around and looked at Eric, clearly as surprised as I was. She sputtered for a few seconds before looking to me for approval.

"Go on. Have fun. Just bring him back in one piece, will you?" I tilted my face up to accept a kiss from Eric and then watched as he took Tara's hand and led her out to the dance floor.

Tara didn't quite look comfortable and a glance over at Mickey told me he wasn't a very happy camper, either. Served him right. I really had no compassion for that guy whatsoever. Tara had shown up at my house in tears, or with bruises, one too many times for me to feel sorry for him. Unfortunately, by Eric doing the sweet thing and asking Tara to dance, I was left alone at the table. Apparently, that was all the push Bill needed to make another move on me.

"That didn't take long." Bill snorted as he sat down.

"Pardon me?"

"Eric." He nodded toward Eric and Tara.

"What about it?" I failed to see the same thing he seemed to.

"He's dancing with another woman."

"So? Saleh is dancing with Clancy. It's a dance."

Bill smirked at that and said, "So then you wouldn't be opposed to dancing with me?"

I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Honestly, I'd rather dance with Hannibal Lecter while covered in barbecue sauce but my Mom had always told me I should dance with anyone who asked. Everyone should get a fair chance. Besides, if he got out of line, Eric wouldn't be far away.

"I suppose not." My reaction visibly shocked Bill. Maybe if I led by example we could get back to being friends.

He scrambled out of his chair to offer me his hand. I did my best not to cringe when I took it and let him lead me out to the dance floor. Bill wasn't a graceful dancer. He stepped on my toes more than once and he held me a little closer than he should have. I looked over at Eric who looked about as happy as I did. Tara turned to look in our direction and even she furrowed her eyebrows sympathetically.

"Bill, could you loosen up a little?" I asked when I felt something poking my hip that shouldn't have been.

"Eric has you on a short leash, huh?" Did he think he was funny?

"No, I just don't want your parts poking me." I glared at him. He blanched just a little and then loosened his hold on me. "Look, I know Hadley said something to you about asking me to prom..."

"She didn't say anything I wasn't already thinking." He confirmed for me.

"All the same, I'm with Eric. I like Eric. I more than like Eric." I couldn't stop myself from looking at Eric when I said those words.

"What about when he leaves? Then what?"

"Then we go back to letters, phone calls and Skype chats until I can go to Stockholm to see him." I shrugged. It was a loose plan, but a plan nonetheless. "Besides, who says he's leaving?"

"He's staying? Why the hell would he want to stay in Bon Temps?" Bill looked at me like I had three heads. "You're just fooling yourself if you think he's going to give up his life for a girl."

"You don't know him. You're hardly in a position to make that sort of judgment on him."

"I'd never do that." Bill clearly thought he was speaking for all mankind.

"Well, I guess that answers the question of why I'm with Eric instead of you. Thanks for the dance." The song hadn't ended.

I stomped off the dance floor and out of the gym. Eric followed behind me a minute later with a look of angered concern on his face. "You want me to kill him?"

He was serious. He was very, very serious. "No, Eric, you don't need to kill him. Can we get out of here?"

I didn't care that there was still a good three hours left to the dance. I didn't care that we'd have to take a cab back to Claudine's house so I could get my car. Suddenly the gym was just too small and I needed some fresh air. I needed to get away from all these people who kept giving me looks like I was crazy for being with Eric.

"We'll go anywhere you want to go. Wait here. I'll go get your things." Eric disappeared into the gym and I paced while I waited for him.

"Sookie?" Tara's voice broke into my thoughts. She sounded far more timid than usual.

"What's wrong, Tara?" I really wasn't in the mood to deal with any of her drama.

"I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. Eric and I talked. He's not a bad guy, I know that. I always knew that. I've been a pretty horrible friend where he's concerned. I didn't want you to get hurt, but it's obvious to me that he loves you. I know you love him. I guess I was just mad because Mickey never looks at me the way he looks at you." Tara confessed all this to me quietly, over the din of an eighties power ballad.

"Then cut Mickey loose, Tara. Once and for all, just cut him loose. You're never going to find your Eric if you keep hanging around that guy." I advised her, rubbing her arm gently.

She was just about to say something when the chant of, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" broke out in the gym. Tara and I went running back inside to find Eric being held back by three big football players and Bill bleeding, bent over the table I'd been sitting at just a few minutes before.

What the hell just happened?

* * *

**Okay so Google provided my translations for me since I certainly do not speak Swedish. That said, if anyone out there does and would be willing to do some translating for me so I don't butcher your beautiful language with the less than reliable translations that Google provides, it would be wonderful to hear from you. There is something in particular coming up where Swedish will be especially important. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Not to mention, I'll spoiler you rotten for your efforts ;)**

**Translations:**

_Himlen måste sakna en ängel._ Heaven must be missing an angel.

_Jag kommer ihåg att när du är arg på mig._ I'll remember that when you're mad at me.

_Du är väldigt söt när du är arg._ You're very pretty when you're angry.

**Sooooo...any guess as to what Bill might have said or done to end up face down on a table like that? How about a round of applause for bad ass Eric making an appearance. I missed him *le sigh* Oh, and this will probably be the first of many cliffhangers. It's how I roll. You'll get used to it. Reviews are love! Thanks for reading!**


	9. Fire & Ice

*squeeeeeeeee* I hit 200 reviews this morning! Thank you, thank you, thank you for loving this story so much and being so generous with your thoughts. I really appreciate all of it. You guys are awesome! You really do make my little black heart happy. It also took me over an hour this morning to respond to all the comments that came in overnight, so good job! That said, this chapter is a little bit shorter, but I hope the ending of it makes it worthwhile. Hope you're not allergic to citrus ;)

This chapter is also unbeta'd since there was the overwhelming demand to know what Bill said to get Eric all pissed off. And well, I hate to leave you guys hanging. So, I'm posting this version.

**I do not own any of these characters. I just like to dust them in lemon zest.**

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**Chapter Nine: Fire & Ice**

**EPOV**

I went back into the ballroom to get Sookie's purse and shoes for her. I hated seeing her so upset. It didn't matter to me one way or the other if we stayed. I was only there for her anyway. If she'd decided she'd had enough, then I was more than fine with leaving. I wouldn't mind having her all to myself for a little while, especially in that dress. I was seriously considering sending the designer flowers. I found her bag on her chair where she'd left it. Her shoes, on the other hand, had been kicked to the center under the table. I moved her chair out of the way and crouched down to reach for her shoes.

Someone came and sat down in the chair next to hers. By the shoes and pants it was obviously a male. I glanced up to see Bill. I had a quick pep talk with myself, remembering that knocking him out for upsetting her in the middle of her prom was probably a bad idea. Besides, I didn't have to be a dick just because he was. He could say whatever he wanted. In the end, I was the one leaving with Sookie. I wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize that. Sookie had taken the high road with Hadley. I could do the same.

"Nice purse." Bill snorted once I was half under the table in search of Sookie's left shoe.

"I'll tell Sookie you said so." I wasn't going to let him get me.

"I think it's sweet that she lets you hold her bag." Not as sweet as holding her, asshole.

I didn't go for it. I just kept quiet and went through the pile of shoes under the table a little bit quicker. I grinned like I won the lottery when I found the missing shoe and began to back my way out from under the table. Bill was sneering at me. It wasn't a good look for him, but then I had a hard time finding one that was.

"Well, I guess we'll see you around then." I stood up with her purse and shoes in the same hand and just waited for whatever lame comment he was formulating.

"Your shoes match your bag. That's precious." Did he also go to zoos and poke bears with sticks?

I smiled and said, "Sookie thinks so." Death glare. Well, I guess it was Bill's version of a death glare. To me he mostly looked like an angry Care Bear.

"You know she gave me a hand job in a movie once?" Bill practically shouted as I turned to walk away. I stopped moving but only because I was telling myself not to hit him so hard his grandfather felt it. "The theater was practically empty. She came and sat down next to me and half way through the movie-"

"You tried to grab her hand and she pulled away. Yeah, I know the story, Bill. Sookie never so much as held your hand, let alone your dick." I growled at him.

Making fun of me was one thing, but insinuating that Sookie was some sort of cheap slut was something else entirely. I figured Corbett would take this kid apart in a second for talking about Sookie the way Bill was. So far I was keeping my inner caveman in check, but I wouldn't be able to continue with that if Bill said anything else.

"And you believe that lying little slut?" Bill grinned in a sickening sort of way that was begging for me to hit him. "Her hot little hands-"

"She's not into you, man, and now I can see why. You want a girl to like you? Then you don't go around telling people she jerked you off in a theater. _Especially_ when it's a lie. Stay away from Sookie, or you'll have to deal with me." I glared hard at him and turned to walk away. I was done with this clown.

"Fine," Bill shrugged, trying his best to look nonchalant about the whole thing. His tough guy persona needed some work. He tried way too hard. "I don't want Sookie turning me into some little bitch anyway." Too late. Nature got there first.

"You should be so lucky." I grinned and started walking.

I prefer to have the last word in an argument. I should have just walked away. Because of my need to say those five words, it gave Bill enough time to muster the courage to throw a punch at me. A punch that hit me in my right ear. I really didn't want to hit him, but at that point there wasn't much of a choice. I dropped Sookie's bag and shoes and turned to face Bill. He was poised to strike again but years of playing football had my reflexes working much faster than his. I had good instincts when it came to making contact. I hadn't been in many fist fights but I could still throw one hell of a punch.

So, that's exactly what I did. I clocked Bill right in the nose. There was a sickening crack and then blood was pouring out of his face. He spun around and landed face down on the the table. Blood seeped into the white linen table cloth and began to spread out around his head like some demonic halo. That wasn't at all how the night was supposed to go. When I stepped closer to him to see if I'd knocked him out, a few guys grabbed me, thinking I was going to hit him again.

Kids stopped dancing and started to gather, hoping to see Bill get up to throw another punch. That wasn't happening and I wasn't going to kick a man while he was down. Not only had Bill lost the battle for Sookie, but he'd also lost the battle of wits and the physical fight between us. Does the three strikes and you're out rule apply here? It should. I heard the gym doors fly open and I looked over to see Sookie and Tara come running in.

Sookie looked horrified and Tara reached for her hand. She looked back and forth between Bill and me. It wasn't hard to figure out what happened, especially when I realized I had Bill's blood on my right hand. My knuckles stung a little but it was nowhere near as bad as the pain Bill would be facing whenever he came to. Sookie moved toward me, stopping to pick up her bag and shoes.

"Show's over, you vultures!" Tara shouted to break up the spectacle.

Sookie didn't say a word. She just grabbed my hand and began pulling me toward the door. She looked over her shoulder at Tara and made some sort of gesture that I didn't understand. I was a bit dazed, at the moment, and not quite sure of what to say to Sookie. It suddenly became very important to me that she understand I hadn't gone back in there to punch Bill.

Unfortunately, it became important to school administrators that I know I was no longer welcome at the dance and if I left quietly, they wouldn't press charges. I really could have cared less if I got arrested. It would have been worth it and once Corbett got word of why I'd knocked Bill out, I was sure he'd be able to get the sheriff to drop any charges that were filed against me. Sookie looked absolutely humiliated and she didn't even know what Bill had said about her yet. I followed her out of the gym, hoping she wasn't going to start crying.

"Sookie, I didn't mean for that to happen."

"We'll talk about it later. I'm not ready yet." Sookie huffed. She was pissed. Fuck. Fuck! That's _not_ how this was supposed to go. I wanted to punch Bill all over again.

The cab ride to Claudine's was silent. I decided it was better if I let her be the one to start the discussion. She'd talk when she was ready, or so I told myself. I paid the cab driver while she started toward her car. She was already in the driver's seat when I got over to her. I folded myself into the car beside her. She took my hand and looked at it.

"How's your hand?" She looked at it closely, inspecting it for swelling and bruising.

"A little sore." I didn't bother to throw in that Bill's face was worse. She already knew that.

"I think you broke his nose."

"I did." No point in lying about it.

Sookie sighed with disappointment. "What happened?" I hesitated to tell her. "Eric, I'm a big girl. I can handle it."

I relayed the story to her, using what little control I had left to not go nuts when I told her things he'd said about her. I was dangerously close to becoming a ranting lunatic but I could tell she was hurt by it and my rage wasn't going to help. It pissed me off more that Sookie was so upset than the words themselves. I couldn't wrap my head around a mentality where he figured his actions would pay off in the end. Did he really think I was going to buy into what he said and leave her there so he could have her? If he did, he certainly paid a steep price for his error in judgment.

"That's just not like Bill." Sookie shook her head in disbelief. Shit. Did that mean she didn't believe me? My frustration must have shown on my face because she followed that up with, "I'm glad you knocked him out. If you didn't, I would have."

Her anger and confidence over her ability to show him who was boss made me smile. I felt better. She leaned over the arm rest and kissed me gently. Her hand grazed my cheek before picking up the hand I'd used to clobber Bill. She looked me in the eyes as she kissed each knuckle on my hand. My breath caught and my heart rate doubled.

"Thank you for defending me. That means a lot. I'm sorry you had to do that. I don't like fighting." She kissed my palm and then released my hand.

"I'm sorry I ruined the dance for you." It was the only thing I could think of to say.

While I hated Bill for saying the things he'd said about Sookie, there was a small part of me that was glad he'd said it, if for no other reason than he'd nailed his own coffin shut. Whatever teeny tiny miniscule chance he may have had with Sookie in the future was now gone and he had no one to blame but himself. Jackhole.

Sookie took a deep breath that seemed to shake her out of her thoughts. "Let's go get you some ice for your hand. I need to get out of this dress."

Sookie. No dress. Eric happy. "Okay." I told my inner caveman to go take a smoke break.

The car rattled to life. Sookie drove us to a Grab-It-Quick. I went to get ice for my hand while she got a key to the ladies' room. I was in the process of figuring out how I was going to ice my hand when she emerged from the bathroom. The prom dress was gone and in its place was a short denim skirt and a white t-shirt with a Swedish flag on the chest. I grinned like an idiot.

"See anything you like?" Sookie jokingly shimmied at me.

"I'm seeing everything I like." I then contemplated dumping my cup of ice down my pants.

"Come on, let's get to the pond. We'll get to pick a prime camping spot." Sookie winked at me and got back in the car.

At least she wasn't letting the fight ruin the rest of her night.

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**SPOV**

Seeing Bill sprawled out on the table like he was had definitely put a damper on the evening. It seemed like an incredibly mismatched fight if it was him versus Eric. Eric had a good six inches in height over Bill, not to mention God knows how much strength. But when Eric told me what had led up to the exchange of blows, I stopped feeling sorry for Bill. I pretty much knew before hand that whatever had caused the fight had to be about Bill antagonizing Eric. Eric just wasn't the sort to go looking for fights. If it had been Mickey that laid Bill out like that, I wouldn't have been shocked. I'd seen him punch guys just for looking at Tara before.

It didn't take long for us to get to Laughtner's Pond. The place was empty when we got there but I knew it wouldn't stay that way. I parked the car closer to the edge of the property so we wouldn't have to battle to get it out in the morning. I didn't plan on spending the whole day at the pond. Eric helped me carry the tent and sleeping bags over to my preferred camping area. It was away from the beach so we could actually get some sleep if we wanted to. And it would also give us a little bit of privacy from everyone else. I tried to move the big sticks and rocks out of the way so we wouldn't end up sleeping on them. I didn't believe in camping with an air mattress.

"So do you go camping back home?" I asked Eric as we began to spread out the tarp that went under the tent.

"Not since I was twelve."

"I love camping. Jason and I used to sleep out in the yard all the time when we were kids. This tent was pretty much set up from Memorial Day until Labor Day." I remembered the camp outs Jason and I would have out in the yard. We always had a ton of fun. He was much nicer to me when no one was around to see it.

Eric helped me get the tent set up. It was much easier with his height advantage than it would have been for me to do it alone. Before long our sleeping bags were stowed inside along with my overnight bag. There was a cooler in the car that he went for while I started gathering up kindling for the fire. I figured I could at least get a small one going while we waited for everyone else to show up. It would end up a raging bonfire by the end of the night, not that we would need the heat.

I was crouched by the man made fire pit, stacking the kindling accordingly when Eric dropped down to his knees next to me. "So where did you manage to find a shirt with the Swedish flag on it?"

I had been waiting for that question. "I ordered it on-line. I thought you might like it." I ducked to avoid the blush that had crept up from my neck.

"I do." His hand settled on my back and I froze for a second.

"How's your hand?" My voice was weak. We were alone in the middle of nowhere for at least another hour or two. I tried not to let my mind race with all of the possibilities.

"Better. The ice helped." He rubbed slow circles on my back.

I had the overwhelming urge to pounce on him. "So are you going to tell me what you were saying earlier?" I smiled over at him.

Eric laughed and sat back in the sand. I sat on my feet and looked over at him. I pouted at him. I really wanted to know what he'd said. The fact that he seemed so unwilling to tell me made me a bit nervous.

"Heaven must be missing an angel." He said with a big grin on his face.

"You didn't!" I burst out laughing. "Eric, that's horrible!" I couldn't stop laughing.

"You seemed to like it at the time." He shrugged. "And I knew I'd have to tell you eventually and it would make you laugh."

"Well played, Mr. Northman." I shook my head and then shifted my legs a little so I was sitting on my hip. I was going to be covered in sand soon.

Eric got the fire going and we sat there quietly for a while, just watching the flames dance in front of us. We didn't sit too close since it was still pretty warm outside but it was too pretty not to watch. Stars were twinkling overhead and crickets were serenading us from the woods. It was a perfect early summer Louisiana night. It was the kind of night I loved and made it nearly impossible for me to ever think about living anywhere else. Well, it would have been if Eric wouldn't have been sitting right there next to me.

"I've been thinking a lot about leaving." Eric broke the silence. His choice of words had my heart dropping into my feet then rocketing into my throat. If he was going to tell me he was ready to leave in a few days, I was pretty sure I'd stop breathing. "We haven't really talked about your plans for the summer, but I had an idea."

My entire body was tingling with nerves. My voice was shaky when I spoke. "You're leaving?" That first part was the only part I'd really heard or been able to process.

"I have to go to Chicago." Eric looked over at me with sad eyes.

"Right, of course you do." I tried to smile but that was next to impossible with the way I was biting my cheeks to keep from crying. "I knew you wouldn't be able to stay forever."

Eric opened his mouth to speak but then changed his mind. He was quiet for a moment before trying again. "I was thinking we could take a roadtrip."

"A roadtrip?" A tear slipped from my eye and I swiped it away.

"If you don't have plans, we could drive up to Chicago together. We could stay there for a little while over the fourth of July and then drive back. I know you said you haven't left Louisiana very much, so I thought it might be fun to do this together. I sure don't know where I'm going and if I have to get lost, there's no one I'd rather get lost with." Eric smiled at me sweetly.

"So you want to spend the summer driving around, camping out and staying in crappy hotels?"

"Why not? It would be sort of similar to staying in youth hostels if you were to spend your summer in Europe, wouldn't it? And my aunt's condo is very nice. It's in a big building close to Lake Michigan. You can see the lake from her living room."

"What does she think about this plan? I don't want to just show up unannounced."

"I haven't talked to her about it, yet, but she knows that I am visiting you now. She did express some interest in meeting you."

"Well meeting me and letting me stay in her home for a week are two different things."

"Do you not want to come with me?" Eric looked about as sad as I did when he'd said he was leaving.

"It's not that." I sighed and pushed myself up to stand. I brushed the sand off my legs.

"So then what is it?" Eric stood as well.

I wanted to ask about after that. What about when the summer was over? How was I supposed to be okay with him just going home? When would I see him again? Talking on web cams just wouldn't cut it after this. We'd make it work because we had to, but it was going to hurt like hell not to have him close. I knew right then and there that him leaving was always going to be in the back of my mind, whispering to me that we were on borrowed time. This wasn't going to last forever.

_So then I should enjoy it while I can_, I thought to myself while the pond was lapping at my toes. Eric put his hands on my shoulders and stood behind me. I leaned against him and stared out over the water. I told myself I wasn't going to have this debate anymore but I knew the thought would pop into my head from time to time in the quiet moments. And really, my questions were reasonable ones. I just didn't want to ruin the time we had by asking them.

"Sookie," Eric whispered in my ear, his breath warm and sweet as it blew by my cheek.

I turned to face him. "It's not that I don't want to come with you, Eric. It's weird. It's like I'm scared to go but I'm scared to stay. Does that make any sense?" I searched his eyes to see that he understood. I was relieved to find that he did.

"Of course it does." He kissed my forehead sweetly.

"I knew things would change when you got here. From the minute you said you were coming I knew I wasn't going to want to let you go when you had to leave. You've only been here two days and already it's like I can't remember a time when you weren't right here with me."

"I've always been with you, Sookie. You know that. Just like you've always been with me." He wrapped me in his arms. He was so sweet to me. God, I could be such a basketcase when I wanted to. He stroked my hair and said, "Jag lämnar dig inte, Sookie. Jag är alltid med dig. Du fastnar med mig."

I heard my name in there somewhere and it seemed to me by the expression on his face when I looked up that he'd just made me a promise of some kind. I nodded slowly and watched a smile slowly spread across his face. He looked so beautiful with the fire light dancing on his face. His hands moved to my face, cupping my jaw and pulling me closer to him. His lips met mine for a kiss that was meant to seal a deal. I wasn't sure what I had just agreed to, but I wasn't scared.

The kiss went from sweet to hungry in no time and before I knew it I was lifted off my feet. Or maybe it just felt like I was floating. We stayed that way for a while, kissing on the beach. Eventually I found myself in his lap with cool sand under my legs, straddling his thighs. His hands had moved on from my face and were on my hips, slowly making their way up my body. His lips relinquished mine in search of my neck. I sucked in all the air I could, which was easier said than done when his hands found their way up my shirt and settled on my breasts.

Between the gentle pressure on my chest and the sucking on my neck, my body was in an uproar. Everything tingled and wanted to feel him. Given my position in his lap it was particularly obvious he was feeling the same way. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so I did the only thing I could think of- I moved my hips. He froze for a second, the sucking on my neck suddenly stopping.

"Did I hurt you?" I whispered, afraid I'd done something wrong.

He answered my returning his mouth to mine. I moved my hips again and he groaned against me, his hips trying to buck up against mine. I guessed I was on the right track and kept moving. A delightful warmth began to build in my body. I thought back to my shower two nights before, making me moan and whimper between kisses. His hands moved aside the lace of the strapless bra I was wearing. It was heaven to feel his skin on mine. If I felt this good with all of my clothes on I couldn't imagine how it would be with them off.

I decided right then that I would never again doubt my mother. She'd been right. I should have listened to her. Sex wasn't the reason Eric had come to see me but it was going to happen. I knew it the second I saw him in the airport and the intense feelings passing back and forth between us on the beach only served to confirm it for me.

God, I wanted him.

His kisses stifled my cries when my orgasm hit me like a freight train. My body went a little limp against his but my hips continued to move just a little with the aftershocks. Eric grunted and then stilled his movements as well, trying just as desperately as me to catch his breath. He brushed my hair back over my shoulders and planted little kisses all over my face. We were quiet for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts. I stayed there in his lap with his arms around me and my face pressed against his shoulder, breathing against his neck.

When we were both recovered, we started all over again.

* * *

**Courtesy of Google translate:**

_Jag lämnar dig inte, Sookie. Jag är alltid med dig. Du fastnar med mig._ I'm not leaving you, Sookie. I'm always with you. You're stuck with me.

**Now, if you're really, really good about clicking that little blue button down there (it's so cute, isn't it?), you *might* be able to convince me to post chapter 10 day. Thanks for reading!**


	10. Moving On

Okay, so here's a little something, something with extra zest for **hearttorn** who has had to edit all of this without much in the way of citrus to keep her motivated. I hope this helps. And to the rest of you as well, who have so sweetly rewarded me with all of your reviews on the last chapter. You guys are simply amazing. I heart you all! And to one person in particular, I hope this puts out the fire in your panties. Your comment had me laughing all morning.

**I do not own any of these characters. I just like to put them in tents and give them sexy tiems.**

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**Chapter Ten: Moving On**

**EPOV**

Amazing. Sookie was amazing. We pulled back just long enough to look at each other and catch our breath a little. Her lips were red and puffy from kissing for so long and there was a small hickey on her neck. I smiled against her lips when we kissed again. Her hips moved against me in a way that made it very difficult not to throw her down in the sand, but I could be patient. We could wait. I kept telling myself that slow and steady wins the race. We were moving on her terms, and so far, I liked the direction she was going.

We were precious seconds from a second release when cars started filing onto the property by the pond. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." I was surprised when I realized the voice that said those words was Sookie's. I had been thinking the exact same thing.

We both laughed and she quickly climbed off of me. She held out a hand and I got up to follow wherever she was going to lead me. We ended up in the tent. I zippered us in while Sookie fixed her bra. It seemed almost criminal for her breasts to be covered but I appreciated her modesty. Frankly, I didn't want anyone else staring at them. As far as I was concerned, they were mine, and I wasn't one for sharing my toys. Especially not where Sookie was concerned.

"Great timing, huh?" Sookie quipped over her shoulder.

I growled my response. She gave me a sympathetic smile and then pulled me closer to kiss me. I was surprised when her hand moved from my face down to my thigh. She started stroking me over my pants while her tongue tangled with mine. God, she was amazing. To say it was a turn-on to know that when others saw her, they'd know what we had been up to would be an understatement.

"Sookie! You in there?" Tara was calling her. I hated Tara all over again right that second, and even more so when she started to unzip the tent.

"Tara, hang on a sec! We'll be right out." Sookie called to her friend, pressing her forehead against my chest apologetically.

"We, huh? What'cha been doing all this time?" Tara taunted.

"Tara Mae Thornton that's none of your business!" Sookie kept her head down.

"Bill's in the hospital, in case you were wondering. His nose is broken." Tara waited for a response. When she didn't get one she said, "Eric did a good thing. Maybe now Bill will get the hint and leave you alone for a change."

"Tara, can we talk about this later? Now's not a good time." Sookie sighed with frustration.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt. Carry on."

But of course, we didn't carry on. The moment was over. Sookie left the tent so I could change my clothes since I was still wearing the pants from my tux and the wifebeater I'd been wearing under my dress shirt. She zipped me into the tent and then went off to go talk to her friends. I emerged a few minutes later in a mood that was only slightly less sullen (but at least with dry pants), to find Sookie helping Tara put up her tent.

"Hey Eric." Tara gave me a knowing grin. "Nice work on Sook's neck."

"Tara!" Sookie admonished while I just grinned. "Don't you encourage her!" Sookie turned on me. Even in the dark I knew she was blushing.

"Where's Eggs?" That was clearly the wrong question to ask, since Tara suddenly looked like she was going to burst into tears and Sookie was giving me one of her death glares. "You ladies want some help?" I offered instead.

In no time we got Tara's tent all set up. It wasn't long before the beer started to arrive and the drinking games began. As promised, I helped Sookie do her first keg stand. It was actually pretty entertaining to watch. She stumbled a bit when she was upright again and I had to hold her steady. It wasn't much of a chore. Although she found out the hard way that doing a keg stand in a skirt is probably not such a good idea. I kept her covered as best I could but I did manage to get a glimpse of the white lacy boy shorts she was wearing. The urge to drag her back to the tent and stay there the rest of the night was pretty hard to fight off.

She ventured off on her own for a bit to talk to her girlfriends while I stuck close with Rene since I didn't know very many other people. Rene confessed that he was going to ask Arlene to marry him the night of graduation. I didn't know either of them well enough to have much of an opinion on whether or not it was a good idea but I figured it probably wasn't. I'd known Sookie for ten years and the thought hadn't even crossed my mind. We were too young. There were too many things we wanted to do and I told Rene as much.

"Arlene is different than Sookie. She wants to be a wife and mother. She doesn't really care about anything else." Rene explained to me. I guess that was reason enough for them to do it. Besides, Rene looked happy about the prospect.

Sookie and I would glance at each other from our respective places. When she'd walk past me she'd pause to kiss my cheek or graze the back of my neck with her fingers as she walked by. They were simple little touches but they went a long way. By the time she was ready to turn in for the night, I was too. I zippered the tent then turned to see Sookie had taken off her skirt. My mouth went dry and my throat soon followed. I watched as her arms disappeared around her back. A few seconds later she was reaching inside her shirt and removing the white lace that had been in my way a few hours before. She smiled at me and then stuffed her clothes into her bag.

She unrolled her sleeping bag while I stripped down to my boxers. Her eyes cheated up to mine and then went right back to staring at her sleeping bag. I unrolled the second bag and put it right next to hers. We both just knelt there in the tent, contemplating what to do next.

"I have an idea!" Sookie said a little louder than she probably intended to.

She began to unzip her bag and then spread it all the way out so it was just one big blanket. "I like the way you think, Stackhouse." I smirked at her.

"I bet you do." She laid down on the blanket, the silky side up.

I laid down next to her. There really was no need for a blanket to put over the top of us. It was more than warm enough not to need it. I ended up rolling mine to use as a pillow, while Sookie made herself comfortable on my chest. My arm closed around her and she slung one of her legs over mine. One week ago, sleeping in such a way wouldn't have been possible. Even with a rock in my spine, I was pretty sure I'd never get a better night's sleep.

"Goodnight, Eric." She planted a kiss on my chest.

"Goodnight, Sookie." I kissed her hair.

I'm not sure how long it took, but I know it was a while before we finally fell asleep.

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**SPOV**

Eric's heartbeat was wild under my ear. It took a while for him to settle before I could catch the rhythm of it and fall asleep. I felt good laying there curled against him like I was. I felt safe and loved. I fell into a surprisingly deep sleep considering where I was. I dreamt that I was sailing down an empty highway with Eric behind the wheel. The windows were open. The sun was shining. Wind was whipping my hair in all directions. Classic rock played on the radio. We didn't speak. Mostly I looked ahead at the horizon but I'd look over at Eric from time to time to see him looking back at me. He reached over to take my hand and our fingers laced together. I slid across the bench seat and put my head on his shoulder. He kissed my hair and kept on driving. It was peaceful. It felt like I could go on that way for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy.

I woke to the sound of birds chirping and the smell of stale beer and smoke. I was afraid to move. My dream left me content and excited for the future. If Eric wanted me to go on the road with him, I was going to go. No questions asked. I'd talk to Sam later on. If I had to give my notice, then I would. Telling my parents was going to be a bit more tricky. Mom would probably understand but I knew Daddy would protest. He'd been nice to Eric so far, but that was before there was any inkling he might want to steal me away for a while.

I shifted my head to look up at Eric's face. His head was turned down toward mine. I could see movement under his eyelids. He was dreaming. I wondered if maybe he was having the same dream I did. Somehow, I doubted that. I moved my leg since it was still resting on his. I looked down to see a very obvious case of morning wood. His dream was definitely different than mine. I restrained a giggle and debated whether or not I should try to go back to sleep or just get up.

In the end I decided to stay right where I was. I was comfortable and who knew how long it would be before I got this chance again. I snuggled a bit closer to him and his grip tightened on me. Apparently he was as unwilling to let me go as I was to get up. I smiled against his skin and closed my eyes. I drifted off to that in between stage where I wasn't quite sleeping but I wasn't really awake either.

Long fingers trailing up and down my side were my t-shirt had ridden up pulled me from my stupor a while later. I smiled without opening my eyes. Those fingers could only belong to one person. The warm 'n fuzzies that carried over from my dream had yet to dissipate and I planned to enjoy them as long as I could. Eric must have felt my smile against his skin because he tilted my face up toward his with the fingers that had been stroking my side.

"Good morning, älskling." He kissed my forehead.

"What'd you call me?" I smiled lazily, my fingers tracing pattern on his stomach. And what a stomach it was. Holy washboard abs! It was amazing I wasn't drooling all over him.

He pulled me over on top of him and I found myself in a more overtly sexual position than I had the night before on the beach. My breath caught and I braced myself on my hands so that my weight wasn't completely pressed against him. Our eyes met and he had mischievous look on his face.

"You know, I could torture the information out of you." I suggested and then bent to nip as his jaw, moving slowly down his neck.

"Careful, woman." He warned and I giggled.

We didn't waste anymore time and got right to kissing. We bravely ignored any morning breath and just got to the good stuff. Eric's hand had just made their way up my shirt, causing a moan to escape my throat when there was a cough outside of our tent. I knew immediately who it was and I winced. This had potential to get really ugly, really quick.

"Good morning, Tara." I tried to sound perky about it, but it came out more like a grumble.

Eric's eyes narrowed with contempt, his hands gripping my hips to make sure I didn't just hop up and abandon him. He mouthed the words, "Go away." I closed my eyes and bit my lip to keep from laughing. I really didn't want to see Tara just then either.

"Are y'all decent?"

"Tara, we just woke up. Can you give us a few minutes to get oriented?"

Tara giggled outside the tent. "Make it quick."

Eric looked like he wanted to say something but I put a hand over his mouth. I felt him smirk under my hand and then start to nibble at me. "We'll try to hurry." I didn't put much oomph behind my words and I could practically see Tara rolling her eyes on the other side of the tent.

"Mmhmm." Tara huffed but then walked away.

"I know she is your friend, but if she interrupts us once more I may have to drown her in the pond." Eric whispered his warning to me.

"She does that once more I might let you." I winked at him. As much as I didn't want to pull away from him, I figured it was probably better if I did.

"Where are you going?" Eric asked when I slung one of my legs around to meet the other.

"They're going to start getting up soon, Eric. I don't want an audience."

"Doesn't bother me." He shrugged and I slapped at him.

"You hush!" Apparently that was a trigger for Eric. He grabbed my face and pulled me down to kiss him. "I tell you to hush and I get a kiss?"

"It's the best way to keep me quiet." His eyebrows waggled and I snorted.

"After last night I'm not sure I disagree with that." I gave him a lingering kiss that included a short nibble on his bottom lip. When I tried to pull away he wouldn't let me go. I gave in and spent a few more minutes kissing him in the tent before I put my foot down. "Come on, let's get dressed. We'll take down the tent and head back to my house. I need a shower."

"If only I could be a fly on the wall." Eric was being completely serious.

"I know that feeling." I admitted while putting on my skirt. I turned around to put my bra on and then turned back in time to see Eric getting dressed.

It was almost painful to watch Eric cover up his body. He only put on his jeans but that was bad enough. Then on went the tank top. Bye bye abs. I pouted, which made him laugh. We stumbled out of the tent, a jumbled mess of limbs with Eric going first to help me up. I grabbed his ass on my way out.

"Oops." I grinned up at him as he pulled me to my feet.

"You never need to apologize for that, älskling." He kissed me again and then went in search of bottled water while I went in search of Tara.

I found her sitting on a picnic table a little ways into the woods. Her hair was still pinned up from the night before. Her makeup was smeared something awful but it wasn't as though there was anywhere out at Laughtner's pond to remove it properly. I was in desperate need of a shower so I wanted to make this as quick as possible.

"What's up, Tara?" I popped up onto the tabletop beside her.

"Eggs dumped me. I knew he was mad about Mickey showing up last night. How could I control that? Mickey's got just as much right to be there as anyone."

I sighed, feeling just a little bit of sympathy for Tara, if only because she really did like Eggs. "Honey, you've got to tell Mickey it's over. I mean it. Once and for all. You have to make a clean break. If you want to be with Eggs, then you have to let Mickey go. That's the deal. Would you tolerate Eggs stringing along some ex-girlfriend?"

Tara sputtered for a second trying to find an argument that totally discounted my theory about her stringing Mickey along. She had nothing. "You're right." I knew for a fact Tara hated those two words, especially when they should be followed with _I'm wrong_.

"You know I want you to be happy. If I thought Mickey made you happy, I'd support it. Even if I think he's a slimy douche canoe."

"Say what?" Tara burst out laughing, grabbing her side while she tried to suck in oxygen. "Where in the world did you hear _douche canoe_?"

We laughed until we had tears in our eyes. By the time we got ourselves together we'd come up with a whole host of words that sounded funny when paired with _douche_. It was quite an impressive list, if I do say so myself. Tara agreed that she would give Mickey the ax once and for all and then try to work things out with Eggs. I had a sneaking suspicioun Eggs would take her back. They really were good for one another, but I'd do just about anything to get Tara to give up Mickey once and for all.

"Eric and I were going to head home and shower. Then maybe head up to the Carriage Inn for breakfast. You want to come?" I offered her. I knew I always thought better on a full stomach.

"Yeah, that'd be nice. You don't think Eric'll mind I'm crashing?" Tara looked nervous. "I can tell he's a bit irritated with me. We talked last night while we were dancing. He said some nice things to me and apologized for yelling at me like he did. I know I had it coming. I was being selfish." Nine times out of ten Tara knew what a pain in the ass she was being but was just too stubborn to admit it.

"Well could you do me a favor and try to give him a break? He's really not a bad guy, Tara. Just give him a chance." I nudged against her.

"I can't make any promises but I'll lighten up."

"Good. I mean, after all you _do_ have one very big thing in common."

"What's that?" Tara already knew.

"Me, you dork!" I threw my arms around her while hers went around my waist. We laughed through our hug.

I spotted Eric walking toward us and I pulled back from Tara. "You about ready to go?" Eric asked nervously, looking back and forth between Tara and I.

"Yep, I'm ready. I was thinking we'd go to the Carriage Inn for breakfast. I invited Tara to come along with us. Is that okay with you?"

Eric did his best not to look pissed off. He was going to need to work on that. "Sure." He was agreeing for my sake, which was a step in the right direction.

"Tara, I'll call you when we're leaving the house." I climbed off the table and stepped over to Eric's side. He put his arm around me and we turned toward the beach to go retrieve our belongings.

"You know, on second thought, why don't you guys go alone? I'll see you at school on Monday, Sook. I have some things I need to take care of." Tara said behind us.

I looked over my shoulder and smiled at her. "Call me later if you need to talk."

She nodded with a sad smile and then Eric and I headed toward the beach. We gathered up our stuff, packed the car and headed back to my house. I was surprised to see Jason's truck parked around back of the house. I wasn't expecting him home until the following weekend. He had promised to be back in time for my graduation, but had planned to stay closer to New Orleans to enjoy the city for a bit before coming home for the summer. He would be spending the season working the Daddy on the road crew along with his roommate, Hoyt.

"Uh oh." I sighed as I put the car in park.

"What's wrong?" Eric arched an eyebrow at me.

"My brother's home. He wasn't supposed to be here until next week. If he's here he's going to want to come to breakfast with us, even if he already ate." I warned. Jason would never pass up a chance to eat at the Carriage Inn. I couldn't blame him. They made the most amazing breakfast.

"I was going to have to meet him eventually." Eric shrugged.

"I'll try to get him to be on his best behavior." I gave a hopeful smile. I knew how Jason could be, especially where Eric was concerned. It wasn't exactly promising.

"What he thinks doesn't matter, Sookie. The only opinion I care about is yours."

"You're right." I tried to brighten my smile. Eric leaned over to kiss me and then we got out of the car. Might as well get this over with.

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**EPOV**

Sookie and I were both relieved to find that while Jason had come home for the summer, he had gone with his parents to go visit his and Sookie's Gran, Corbett's mother. Sookie explained that her Gran was living with her older brother, Bartlett. She'd moved in with him after he'd suffered a massive stroke that left him paralyzed on his left side. It was cheaper than hiring someone to take care of him and her Gran had felt weird about Bartlett being left alone in the care of a stranger anyway. So she'd been living with him for the last seven years. Before that she'd lived in the Stackhouse farmhouse.

"Mom and Daddy's room used to be Gran's room. Mom and Daddy were across the hall in the guest room then." Sookie told me as she stuffed the sleeping bags into the washing machine.

"So you've lived in this house your whole life?" I leaned in the doorway, watching her move around the back porch putting things away.

"Yep. So has Daddy. He never went to college. He and Mom met in high school and got married after he'd been working for the Parrish for three years. Daddy asked Mom to marry him four times before she finally said yes. They moved in here with Gran and Grandad. About two years after that Jason was born. Three years later I came along. This is the only place I've ever called home." Sookie looked wistfully at the house.

"You look sad." I commented, but stayed right where I was.

Sookie moved closer to me and wrapped her arms around my waist. She laid her head against my chest. I stroked her back gently. "It's going to be sad to leave it. Whether it's just for the summer with you or for the next four years while I'm in college. It's my home."

"You don't have to come with me if you don't want to, Sookie. I don't want you to be miserable." I was being honest, although the idea of her not coming along was disappointing to say the least.

She looked up at me with big blue eyes. "I love this house. I always will. But I have to strike out on my own and live my own life. I will always know that if the rest of the world gets too scary for me I will have this place to come to. That's a pretty powerful thing. And as much as I love this house, it's not reason enough for me to keep standing still. It's time to move forward and I want to do that with you."

She was grinning by the time she was done talking. So was I, for that matter. "You're sure this is what you want?"

"The only thing I have never been more sure of is how badly I need a shower." Sookie giggled and stretched forward to kiss me. "You go first. I have to get all these pins out of my hair and see if I can drag a brush through it."

"Yes, ma'am." I turned to go back inside and she grabbed my ass again. "Be careful. I might get used to you man handling me." I winked at her.

"Mmm, I hope so." She blushed just a bit.

"You sure you don't want to shower with me? We'd conserve a lot of water."

Sookie laughed loudly. "Not that I wouldn't enjoy myself because I am quite sure that I would, but my parents would skin me alive and I don't think you want an up close and personal introduction to Bonnie and Clyde. It would probably ruin our roadtrip."

"It's a good thing one of us can think logically."

"It's self-preservation." Sookie shrugged casually. "I'd hate to only have you once and that be the end of it."

"So you plan on taking me hostage and having your way with me?"

"I thought it was the other way around?" Sookie stuck her tongue out at me and then ran up to her bedroom.

I laughed quietly and went to the bathroom to shower. When I came out a short time later Sookie and another girl were arguing somewhere in the house. I knew almost instantly that the voice belonged to Hadley. I cringed but slowly advanced into the kitchen to see if there was anything I could do to break up the argument. I wasn't at all prepared for it when Hadley launched her small body at me in a rage.

"Vad i helvete?" The curse came flying out of my mouth as I caught Hadley and tried to hold her away from me. It was easy enough considering her height. That didn't stop her from kicking and swinging at me.

"Hadley what the hell is wrong with you?" Sookie tried to grab Hadley's arm and it got her slapped. That was it.

I moved lightning quick and wrapped my arms around Hadley. "Sookie, get the door." I nodded toward the kitchen door. Sookie got the door open and I walked with a fighting Hadley screaming and carrying on. I dropped her on the lawn. "Do not come back today. I will not be gentle next time."

"Eric..." Sookie tugged on my hand and pulled me back toward the house.

"You crazy motherfucker!" Hadley glared at me. Interesting choice of words.

"_I'm_ crazy?" I looked back and forth between Sookie and Hadley. Sookie just shook her head and continued to pull me back toward the house.

"Sookie, we're family!" Hadley shouted these words as if she hadn't just slapped her cousin so hard it left a hand print on Sookie's cheek.

"We are, which is why I'm not calling the sheriff. Go home, Hadley." Sookie turned and went in the house.

"Sookie!" Hadley screamed, tears streaming down her face. When it was obvious Sookie wasn't interested in continuing with whatever Hadley was up to, Hadley looked toward me. "This is all your fault! I fucking hate you!"

"You're crazy. Go home or _I_ will call the sheriff." I threatened and then went up to the house. I pulled the screen door to the porch closed and latched it. Then I went in the house and closed that door, too.

Sookie was already in the shower. I knocked on the bathroom door. With a sad and distance voice she said, "I just need a few minutes to myself, Eric. I'll tell you everything when I get out."

Fair enough.

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Älskling **sweetheart**

Vad i helvete? **What the hell?**

**So what were Hadley and Sookie fighting about, hmmm? *rubs chin* Anyone else want to slap Tara as much as I do for all of her cockblocking in this chapter? Just so you know, the Carriage Inn is a real restaurant but it's down the street from my house in Illinois. They make some of the most amazing breakfast I've ever had and I'm big on breakfast food. I'm actually going there in the morning, so I'll think of you all and smile while cutting into my spud. Mmmmmm spud...what's a spud? You'll have to wait until chapter 11 to find out. Well, unless you click that pretty blue button and ask me ;)**

**Thanks for reading!  
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	11. Chicken & Waffles

Okay, so this is a short chapter in comparison to the others. If I can, I'll post again today but I make no promises. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your reviews and comments. I slacked off on answering a lot of them yesterday but I promise I read them. I got to writing chapter 20, and lets just say it took on a life of its own. I'm also doing some serious plotting for the end stages of this story. Not to mention, there's all the research to be done for this roadtrip. Again, a huge thank you to everyone who has sent me PMs with info about your hoods (as well as those who have offered to do translating for me)! I really to appreciate you taking the time and it's making the writing process that much easier.

Finally, a big thank you to **hearttorn** for beta'ing this chapter. I'm such a pain sometimes. I will have to make it up to you with something citrusy. 'Tis the season and all ;)

**I do not own any of these characters. I just like putting them in awkward situations.**

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**Chapter Eleven: Chicken & Waffles**

**EPOV**

While Sookie finished her shower, I called my parents. I hadn't talked them since I'd arrived on Wednesday night. They were happy to hear from me and were even anxious to talk to Sookie. My mother wanted to see pictures from the dance the night before, since I hadn't gone to the one at my own school.

"You look so handsome when you're dressed up," Mom gushed.

"I look like a chump," I argued with her, getting a chuckle out of my father who was listening on an extension at home. "Sookie looked like an angel, though. I'll try to email you the pictures later tonight."

"Did you have a good time?" Mom was clearly in control of the conversation, but that was to be expected. Dad was a man of few words.

"It was interesting." I had no intention of mentioning to my mother that I broke someone's nose. She would think it barbaric. It wouldn't much matter to her that he had insulted Sookie so deeply. My father, on the other hand, might not approve of my actions, but at least he would understand. When he was my age, if someone had said those same things to my mother he would have punched first and asked questions later. "Yes, I had a good time."

"That's good to hear. I miss you, Eric." Mom started crying at that point.

Dad chided her for being so emotional and I waited for the two of them to stop bickering back and forth with one another. When they finally called a truce I told them about my plans to drive with Sookie up to Aunt Maggie's. I made my mother promise me not to mention anything about this plan to Michele since we hadn't told Sookie's parents about it yet and I didn't want them to hear about it from my parents. Mom gave her word and I knew she would keep it.

I was just about to hang up when Sookie came into the room. I smiled to see her dressed in a pale yellow sundress that tied around her neck. My mind immediately went to what was under that dress since it clung to her body so tightly and there wasn't much to it. I lost all concentration with what my parents were saying on their end of the line.

"Eric? Eric, are you there?" Mom asked loudly.

"Oh, yes, sorry. Sookie just came downstairs." I immediately wanted to slap myself for mentioning her.

"Oh good! Put her on." Mom insisted. I squeezed my eyes closed and held out the phone, knowing I wouldn't be able to get out of this reasonably.

"Here," I thrust the phone out toward her. "My mother wants to say hello."

Sookie looked panicked for just a second before hurrying across the room to take the phone fron me. "Hello, Mrs. Northman. Yes, it's nice to talk to you, too. It's been wonderful having him here. Yes, we had a very nice time last night. Eric looked very good in his tux. He's just being silly. Oh, well thank you. Yes, I'll make sure he sends the pictures to you. Oh, he did, did he?" Sookie glared at me then. "I appreciate that. Yes, we plan on telling them once we have a better idea of when we're leaving." I officially wanted to reach through the phone and strangle my mother at that point. "Yes, I will. Of course we'll keep you posted. I promise I'll take good care of him. Okay. Okay. Thank you. We will. Have a nice night. Goodbye."

Sookie handed me my phone. "Your mother seems to think there's no way you're going to email her the pictures from last night."

I sighed and shook my head. "Sorry. I planned on keeping you out of the conversation but then I was distracted by that dress."

"The dress or what's under it?" Sookie gave me a knowing smirk.

"Am I that obvious?"

"Pretty much." Sookie stretched forward to kiss me. I moved to deepen the kiss but she pulled back. "Later. I'm starving and the Carriage Inn is going to be packed."

"I'm going to hold you to that." I warned.

"You better." She grabbed my hand and her purse on our way out the back door.

I didn't want to pressure her into talking about it if she wasn't ready, but I was more than curious as to what had caused Hadley to explode like she did. I broached the subject carefully, not wanting to upset Sookie any more than she already was.

"So do you want to tell me what set Hadley off like that?" I asked.

Sookie sighed heavily and answered my question with a question. "Did you say something to Remy at the pond last night?"

Shit. I had. We'd been talking about what had happened with Bill and I'd mentioned that Bill had been on Sookie's case more than usual, at Hadley's insistence. "I told Remy that Hadley had put Bill up to going after you more than usual."

Sookie winced and said, "I wish you wouldn't have done that."

"He asked. I wasn't going to lie to protect Hadley, or Bill, for that matter."

"Did you tell him anything else?"

"I think I said enough, don't you?"

Sookie paused for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "Remy broke up with her this morning after he left the pond. He went straight to her house and told her it was over. He seems to think Hadley and Bill have something going on on the side."

"Maybe they do." I shrugged. Honestly, I didn't care. I just wanted Hadley and Bill to leave us alone. I didn't want to spend my time with Sookie battling silly drama. "I fail to see how it's my fault he broke up with her. She had to have known there would be consequences for her actions one way or another. Things just didn't work out the way she wanted them to."

"I know that. Hadley's pissed because she got caught. She thought, for some hair-brained reason, that I would finally change my mind about Bill. She didn't think you and I would mesh when we got to be face-to-face for some crazy reason. She figured if she had Bill keeping me busy that would give her enough room to try and get her hooks into you. I don't think she's pissed that her and Remy are over so much as she's pissed that he was the one to end it. She blames you for that because you're the one who spilled the beans to Remy about what she's been up to. She's lucky she didn't get a broken nose to match Bill's." Sookie was all fired up over the whole thing and I couldn't blame her.

Hadley was her family. I knew she'd considered Hadley to be like a sister to her. It had to have hurt quite a bit to know that somewhere along the way, Hadley's opinion of Sookie had changed so drastically. I decided right then and there that if I never saw Hadley again, it would be too soon. I also couldn't help but feel a bit relieved for Remy. I didn't know him well, but he seemed like a good guy. He definitely didn't deserve to have Hadley's brand of crazy wreaking havoc on his life. We dropped the subject after that, opting to spend the rest of the ride in relative quiet. I loved that I could share a comfortable silence with Sookie. There was no pressure to fill it with inane chatter.

The Carriage Inn wasn't an inn at all. It was just a restaurant but it was every bit as packed as Sookie said it would be. She promised me it would be more than worth the half hour wait for a table. We got our name on a list and then stood in the small lobby area to wait. She spotted a few of her friends waiting and the teenagers waiting all congregated together to rehash the events of the prom the night before. I was surprised no one was giving Sookie any trouble over me clocking Bill the night before.

"I heard what Compton said to him, Sookie. He's lucky he got off with just a broken nose." A guy I didn't know spoke up on my behalf.

Sookie's brows furrowed, clearly uncomfortable talking about what had happened the night before. "I just wish it wouldn't have come to that." Honestly, so did I.

The topic of conversation shifted to talk of the various after-parties that had taken place around the Parrish. Sookie laughed and nodded in all the right places, her fingers laced with mine while we waited. Bit by bit the waiting list dwindled until finally Sookie's name was called. We were seated in small corner booth in the back. I was thankful for the privacy. The hostess gave us our menus and Sookie seemed to know instantly what she was going to have. The menus were enormous. There was page after page of options, all of it sounding delicious to me.

Sookie ended up ordering a taffy apple waffle while I ended up getting something they called a Spud. It was an omlette encased in hashbrowns. Sookie drank three cups of coffee while I stuck to orange juice. We talked about the roadtrip and I asked what she thought her parents' reaction was going to be when we told them what we were planning.

"I think if we have a good plan to present them, it will be much harder for them to be belligerent about it. Daddy's gut reaction will be to say no, while Mom will be more open to hearing whatever it is we have to say. Daddy will probably shake his head in denial. Mom will listen more closely. She's the one most likely to be on our side but we're talking about me leaving town with you for a few weeks. I'm sure there'll be some resistence." Sookie took a big bite of her caramel sauce covered waffle. "Want a bite?" She held a piece up for me on her fork.

I leaned over and took the bite she offered. It was delicious. "That's really good. A little sweet for breakfast, though."

She shrugged and speared a piece of green apple before popping it in her mouth. "I don't eat like this all the time." Did she think I was calling her fat?

Rather than make a mountain out of a mole hill I decided to get back to the topic that was more pressing. "What if your parents outright forbid you from going?"

"I'm an adult, legally speaking. If I decide I want to take off for a few weeks there isn't anything they can do about it. I don't see it coming to that, though."

"But if it does? I don't want there to be problems with your family because of this."

"Let me worry about that, Eric."

"What worries you will worry me, älskling. I don't want you to dread going home when the trip is over. And I don't want you to resent me for any problems you have. I want this summer to be a good memory for both of us."

Sookie looked like she might cry for a second. "You always say the exact right thing. How do you do that?"

"Because I know you." I winked at her.

"Yeah," She nodded a tear slipped from her eye. "Yeah, you do know me."

"Which is why I know it's important to you that things be okay with your family. I know they're important to you. I know their opinion is _very_ important to you. I don't want you to change that about yourself for me. It doesn't have to be one or the other, Sookie."

She took a deep, shuddering breath and dabbed her eyes with her napkin. "Let's just make a really great and detailed plan. We'll take it one step at a time."

"Agreed." I leaned over the table and kissed her. "You know, on second thought, that waffle is just the right amount of sweet."

"You hush." Sookie nudged me under the table with her toes.

"Gladly, but you owe me a kiss when we get out of here."

"Agreed." Sookie smirked, a blush creeping up from her neck.

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**SPOV**

Hearing from the other kids that they'd heard what Bill said to make Eric so angry was only mildly comforting. While it was good to know that Eric had been more than justified in what he'd done to Bill, it didn't help make anyone unhear Bill's insults. False or not, the word was out and people were undoubtedly talking. Getting out of Bon Temps for a while wouldn't hurt one bit. The fact that I got to leave with Eric only made it better.

After breakfast, which was delicious as usual, Eric and I headed to a book store in Shreveport so we could stock up on maps and travel guides for our trip. We got back to the house and sat down at the kitchen table to start planning out our trip. I had another week until graduation. I had to talk to my boss about whether or not he needed two weeks notice from me, or if he'd be willing to hold a place for me until I got back. But that, of course, meant putting an end date on our travels.

That also raised the question of just how long Eric planned on staying in the States. He would have to go back to Sweden eventually, no doubt about it. It was just a question of how long it would be before he left. He thought about it for a few minutes before he came up with an answer.

"What about Labor Day? Isn't that what you consider to be the last day of summer?" Eric suggested. I nodded, suddenly hating Labor Day more than I ever had in the past. "You'd be settled in school by then and you'd have that distraction once I was gone. Hell, by then you might be glad to see me go."

"Don't say that." I said fiercely, slightly offended he would even think I'd feel that way.

"Oh, come on, Sookie. Eventually we're going to fight about something. We're going to yell and hurt each other's feelings. That's just a part of relationships."

"I know and I'm okay with it, but I already know I'm not going to want you to leave."

"One day at a time, right?" He squeezed my hand.

"Right." I sighed and then agreed that Labor Day was a good end date. Well, as good as any other day.

My face brightened with the realization that he would be in the States for his birthday. "You'll be 19 on September first."

"I will." He noted my smile and moved his chair closer to mine. "Thinking about what to get me for a present, perhaps?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." I taunted in return.

"Yes." He said without hesitation.

"It's going to be a surprise but you might be able to bribe me into giving you hints."

"Oh?" He kissed my cheek and then moved down toward my jaw and then to my neck. "How am I doing so far?"

My breathing hitched. "Pretty good." Then I remembered the hickey he'd given me the night before and I pulled back. "You've already marked that side."

"Sorry about that." The silly grin on his face totally canceled out his apology.

"Oh, I'll just bet you are." I turned to face Eric. His lips had just grazed mine when a car pulled up behind the house. "Ugh, my parents are home."

Eric and I grabbed up our books and notes and headed up to my room. I fired up my computer while Eric stretched out on my bed. "I think we should take a nap." Eric suggested.

"With my parents and brother home? Not likely." I smirked, thinking maybe it would have been better if I had talked to Sam about an empty apartment.

As if he were reading my mind Eric said, "I could look into a hotel."

"Just so we can take a nap?" I arched an eyebrow at him. "We should save our money for the trip. We'll have plenty of time to nap in hotels after that."

"But I'm tired now." He smirked at me. The state of his pants seemed to beg otherwise.

"You might want to tell that to the rest of you."

Eric opened his mouth to respond when Mom called out to me. "Sookie, honey, are you here?"

"We're up here, Mom!" I called out.

Eric gave me a panicked look and then rolled onto his side and pretended to be asleep when there were footsteps coming up the stairs. Mom appeared in the doorway a few seconds later and immediately covered her mouth in apology.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know Eric was asleep." She whispered.

"We had a late night. Things got a bit crazy at the dance."

"So I heard. Jesse Compton and your father had quite the argument this morning. Old Jesse was as angry as a wet hen."

"Well he wouldn't have been if he knew why Eric hit him." I glanced over at Eric and it dawned on me for the first time just how much I appreciated what he'd done. "Apparently Bill made some comments about some sort of sexual favors I may have performed for him in front of a whole crowd of people and it was all lies. Eric knew that and let him have it."

Mom looked stunned. I knew she felt the same way I did when it came to violence. Still, I was her baby and Bill had been spouting hateful lies about me. She would take Eric's side on this.

"Your father will probably want to canonize him." Mom rolled her eyes. "And Jason will be pissed he missed an opportunity to punch someone."

"Well, if he feels the need I won't be stopping him. I don't feel one bit sorry for Bill. I feel bad for his date, though." I shrugged, wondering what happened to Selah after we left. Having a date with a busted nose must have meant a premature end to her evening.

"He had a date?"

"Yes, he did. You saw the awkward girl in the peach colored dress."

"I don't remember." Mom shrugged and then asked, "Would you mind helping me get supper together? I thought we'd have Sunday dinner today instead of tomorrow since you've got your finals to study for. And Jason's home."

"Sure. I thought Jason was coming home next week?"

"He wanted to meet Eric. You know, lay down the law?"

"Oh, sweet Jesus." I muttered and Mom chuckled. "I know he means well, but does he realize Eric could dismantle him?"

"He'll find out." Mom laughed quietly.

"Well, at least it'll be fun to see the look on Jason's face when he gets a load of how big Eric is." Mom had no idea Eric was awake on my bed but I was sure he was loving the things we were saying.

"I'm sure your brother won't disappoint. I'm going to start getting everything sorted out. Meet me in the kitchen in fifteen minutes?"

"Sure. I'll be there." I promised.

"Thanks, baby." Mom winked at me and then headed back downstairs.

I climbed on my bed to look out the window. Jason's truck was gone. He must have headed over to Merlotte's to see who was back in town. Eric rolled onto his back and pulled me down on top of him.

"My Mom's in the kitchen, you know?" I whispered.

"You owe me a kiss from earlier."

"You sure you want to claim it now?"

"Absolutely."

So he did.

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**So we're getting closer and closer to the roadtrip! Are you as excited as I am about this? I'm having such a blast writing about their little adventures but I'm saving the best of the best for my own neck of the woods, since I know way more about the tri-state area than I do the southwest. Oh, and just to give y'all a little head's up, chapter 15 is the one you've all been waiting for. I should be posting that one on Wednesday, if all goes according to plan ;)**

**Thanks for reading!  
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	12. Graduation

Alright, so I have to start with my usual thanks to those who review each chapter. I managed to hit over 300 as of this morning. To say that I am psyched would be an understatement. Then my fabulous beta alerted me to the fact that I have been added to the list of the best SVM All Human stories. Oh the happy dancing that occurred when I stopped staring all googly-eyed and slack jawed. The story isn't even anywhere near finished yet, and it's already made the list. I have all of you to thank for that, and I do. Way to make a writer feel the love!

I realized, in going through this chapter this afternoon that I sort of glazed over Eric and Jason's first meeting, so I made some edits here since everyone was so hyped up to see how that was going to play out. Hopefully, the scene I added will do it justice *crosses fingers*

This chapter is also unbeta'd, so all the mistakes are mine. I'm hoping to be able to post a new chapter each day. The exception this week will be Wednesday when I double post. It'll be a happy hump day indeed, if you catch my drift ;)

**I do not own these characters, but they seem to be making me famous lol**

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**Chapter Twelve: Graduation**

**SPOV**

I was on auto pilot when my name was called to receive my diploma. Given my somewhat klutzy nature I was afraid of tripping on the steps. Thankfully I made it across the stage without falling flat on my face. I shook hands with the school principal and smiled for the camera that took my picture as I accepted my diploma from one of the members of the board of education. I walked the rest of the way across the stage and returned to my seat.

Twenty minutes later, I had officially graduated from the Renard Parrish High School. I didn't toss my cap with most of my other classmates since mine was pinned to my hair. I hugged Tara, who was a few seats down from me. Arlene, Claudine, Rene, Remy and even Eggs found their way over to our group. Tara and Eggs had been able to reach an understanding after the prom. Mickey had threatened her when she'd gone to break up with him for good. She'd talked to the sheriff just to be on the safe side after having a heart to heart with my Dad. Sadly, Tara's own parents weren't as invested in their daughter's safety as mine were.

I broke away from my friends to find my family. Daddy, Mom, Jason, Gran and Eric were waiting for me out in on the football field. It had been hot and stuffy in the school gym, despite the air conditioning being on full force. I wanted nothing more than to peel off my graduation gown, but Mom insisted on taking a few pictures with me still wearing it. So I posed for as many pictures as I could stand before taking the maroon burden off. I cursed whomever decided our school colors should be maroon and gold.

Under my robe I was wearing a pretty white dress with red flowers on it. I was standing between Eric and Jason when I noticed Rene getting down on one knee. I gasped to see what appeared to be a marriage proposal in the works. It was confirmed when a small jewelry box appeared and Arlene screeched like a howler monkey. I couldn't hear what Rene said but whatever it was had Arlene's head bobbing like nobody's business before she very clearly accepted his proposal. He slipped the ring on her finger, sprang up and spun her around in circles.

"Well, it looks like Rene's off the market." Not that there was anyone vying for his attention besides Arlene. Rene was a nice enough guy, but he wasn't really the town flirt.

"They'll be divorced before they're twenty five." Jason predicted.

"Jason!" I admonished, nudging his ribs.

"What? Eric, back me up here. You wouldn't go asking some girl to marry you, would you?" My brother was famous for his tact.

I looked up at Eric who looked about as uncomfortable as he could possibly be. I wasn't expecting him to ask me to marry him. In fact, I'd probably think he was nuts if he did. He hesitated to answer the question, which only got Jason going.

"Oh, hell, you weren't thinking of proposing to my sister, were you? 'Cause if you were, I gotta tell you that's fucked up. No offense." Jason looked back and forth between Eric and me.

"Jason, we're not getting married." I said with a mild level of conviction since Eric and I hadn't talked about it. I hadn't seen any reason to. We were too young and we just didn't know one another well enough for that.

"Maybe some day." Eric offered, which put a flutter in my chest. "Right now, though, no, I wouldn't ask Sookie to marry me. We have too many things to work out."

"Like you not being a citizen of this country for starters." Jason eyed Eric suspiciously.

"Jason Mitchell Stackhouse!" I glared at him for implying this was Eric's attempt at weaseling a green card out of me.

"What?" Jason clearly didn't get it. "I'm just saying it's crazy to be committing yourself to someone in such a serious way. I ain't ever getting married."

I snorted at that. "I'll remember that when you find out you knocked up one of your 'friends' and her Daddy's threatening you with a shotgun."

Jason just laughed at me and spouted off about how he made sure that wasn't going to happen. While I was happy to hear my brother wasn't playing Russian Roulette with his sex life, I couldn't help but wonder if he would be so anxious to have Eric on his side if he knew I'd started taking the pill in the last few days. He kept shooting Eric sly looks that said Eric should be taking his side since they were both guys. Eric mostly kept quiet, which was probably the smartest thing he could have done.

Truthfully, I was surprised that Jason had taken such a quick liking to Eric. I suspect the fact that Eric towered over him and was clearly stronger than Jason had a little something to do with it. Eric and I had been sitting on the floor in the living room playing Uno, of all things, when Jason had stumbled in from Merlotte's. I was about to rip into him for driving drunk when he could have called me to come get him, when he pointed to Eric.

"That him?" Jason's eyes were glassy and unfocused. He was definitely drunk.

"Jason, this is Eric. Eric, this is my asshat of a brother, Jason." I gestured back and forth before hopping to my feet and poking Jason in his chest. "And just where in the hell do you get off driving in your condition?"

Jason swayed and Eric got up to steady him. "You're tall." Jason sounded like a child, his eyes wide as he looked up into Eric's face.

"Indeed." Eric agreed and looked over at me with amusement.

"You look like a Viking." Jason started rambling about pillaging and I shook my head.

"I am so sorry." I muttered. Eric just laughed it off and helped me take Jason upstairs.

In the morning Jason had dragged his sorry bones out of bed to find Eric and I in the midst of doing research for our trip. Jason staggered into the kitchen, momentarily shading his eyes with his shaky right hand. He gripped the archway and leaned against the cool wood. He looked like hell. Eric and I softly greeted him but he just held up a hand to let us know that talking wouldn't be necessary. Jason got himself a cup of coffee and I put some bread in the toaster without him asking me to. He plopped himself down at the table next to Eric.

"I'm Jason." He looked like he might vomit.

"We met last night. I'm the tall one, remember?" Eric joked and I restrained a giggle.

Jason looked lost in thought for a moment. "You carried me upstairs." Eric nodded his agreement. What a sight that had been. I almost wanted to wake up Daddy so he could watch. "Just don't tell Pop. He'll never let it go."

"Don't you come home like that again and I'll think about it." I'd glared at my brother, still pissed off that he would be stupid enough to drive home as intoxicated as he'd been.

"Don't worry, Sook, I won't be drinking for a good long while." By that he meant he waited until two in the afternoon to have his first beer instead of noon, but Jason hadn't said so much as one nasty thing to Eric up until his commentary about his citizenship status.

Mom took about as many pictures as I would let her before we headed for home. We had to take two cars and I had driven separately because I had to be at the high school before everyone else. I drove home with Gran in my passenger's seat at her request, with Eric even more cramped in the back seat of my car. He looked positively pathetic back there but he had insisted Gran sit next to me.

"I've heard a lot about you over the years, Eric. It's nice to finally put a face to the name." Gran said as I drove along.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stackhouse. I've heard a lot about you, too." That was true. I was always telling Eric stories about Gran.

"Is this your first time in the US?"

"No, ma'am. I have an aunt who lives in Chicago. I came here a few years back to visit. I liked Chicago. It's a big city but there's a lot to see there. Have you ever been?"

"Call me Adele, and no, I can't say as I have. In fact, that farthest north I've ever been was Memphis. Mitchell- that's Sookie's Grandad- and I took a trip up there to see Graceland back when Sookie was still knee high to a grasshopper. I prefer the south. My old bones like the heat." Gran smiled over at me.

"Gran loves hot weather. That's part of the reason we don't have central air conditioning in the house." I explained.

"That, and it would cost an arm and a leg to install. That house is older than dirt." Gran laughed heartily.

"It is, but it's home."

"So how long will you be staying in town, Eric?"

Ah, the million dollar question. I'd talked to Sam the previous week. I'd been scheduled to work Tuesday and Eric had come along with me to meet Sam. Half way through my shift I'd talked to Sam in his office about the trip I was planning on taking. He'd been disappointed to find out I was leaving and promised me I would still have a job when I got back. Sam was always too sweet to me. I told him Eric and I would most likely be leaving a week from Friday and I wasn't sure when we'd be getting back to Louisiana. We hadn't worked that out just yet. We had, however, planned to be in Chicago by July first.

Eric spent my shift at a table watching me work and talking to a few of my friends who'd come in for dinner or to play pool. Merlotte's was air conditioned and notoriously busy on particularly warm nights. Tuesday had been a scorcher, with the temperature never dropping below the mid-eighties. Sleep had been next to impossible to get that night and that was without taking into consideration the hour long makeout session Eric and I had shared before I finally called it a night.

Keeping our hands (and other parts) off each other was becoming increasingly more difficult. I'd been told by my doctor that I'd be pretty well protected after the first seven days of taking the pill, but to really be sure it had taken effect, I should wait a full twenty-eight days before forgoing a second form of birth control. I was thankful Mom was out in the waiting room when I'd asked that question. Mom had wanted to stay in the room with me but since I was eighteen I had every right to ask her to leave. She'd seemed a bit hurt that I'd asked her to let me have some time alone with the doctor but there were questions I wanted to ask that I didn't want Mom to try and answer instead of Dr. Ludwig. Mom knowing that I was on the pill was enough. She didn't need to have any larger of a window into my sex life.

"I plan to fly back to Sweden the day after Labor Day." Eric told her, per our agreement the week before. I already had a mental tally of how many days Eric and I had left together. We had ninety-two days and some odd hours before he would be going home. It wouldn't be long enough.

"So then you will be spending the entire summer here. How nice for you. Will you be going to college when you get home?"

"I haven't decided yet. My mother would very much like for me to."

"Of course she would! It's almost impossible to do much of anything in this world without a good education. Besides, you seem like a smart boy. It would be a waste of the brain God gave you if you didn't challenge it."

I kept my eyes on the road when a grin spread across my face. I could feel Eric staring at me in the rearview mirror. I wanted to look over my shoulder and say, "I told you so." I kept it to myself.

"I agree with you, Mrs. Stackhouse, but there are other ways for one to acquire knowledge without setting foot into a classroom. I would much rather experience life than read about it." It was a perfectly good answer, and one I knew Eric had put some thought into.

Gran nodded her agreement. "You make a good point, Eric. Have you done much traveling in Europe?"

That was when I glanced back at him in the mirror. Eric's expression was a bit more relaxed than it had been at my last glance. He'd done some traveling around Europe, mostly accompanying his father on business trips to various branch offices of the financial firm he worked for. I knew he'd spent some time in Denmark and Norway as a result. He'd also spent a week in London over spring break his third year of high school. His favorite trip, at least to my knowledge, had been three days he'd spent in Athens. The pictures he'd taken had been phenomenal.

I looked in the mirror again and got the feeling he was thinking about that same trip. He'd made a promise to go back there someday and he would take me with him. At the time that promise had felt sort of empty, since we hadn't really discussed ever meeting face to face. Now, that it had happened it seemed like maybe there was a possibility Eric might just keep his promise after all. Goose bumps broke out on my skin in spite of the heat and I had to mentally shake myself away from the image of laying on some beautiful Grecian beach with Eric right next to me.

We pulled into the driveway as Eric was telling Gran about the London trip. Once I parked the car I wasn't sure who was going to need more help getting out. I decided Eric was more than young enough to fend for himself and I went to help Gran. It was obvious to me when Gran reached for Eric's arm that he had more than won her over. I held Eric's free hand and together the three of us walked into the old farmhouse.

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**EPOV**

I liked Sookie's grandmother very much. She had a sneaky wit to her that she flashed at just the right moments. She always had some sort of wisdom to add to her commentary. She grilled me the way Sookie's other family members had but I especially didn't mind it coming from her. She'd lived more than long enough to back up whatever judgments she might make and she didn't make many.

Jason had spent some time sniffing me out like a territorial guard dog when Sookie wasn't around. "You met Bonnie and Clyde?" Was the first first question he asked me after climbing out from under his epic hangover.

"Not yet and I hope I never have to." I answered sincerely.

"Good man." Jason decided right then and there. "My sister likes you. Don't fuck it up."

"I don't plan on it. I like her, too." I'd told Jason. That was the extent of our conversation about my relationship with Sookie.

I liked Jason. He was a fun guy, from all I could tell. He was every bit the flirt Sookie had told me he was. He'd come up to Merlotte's and chat up anything in a skirt. Every night he left with a different girl and didn't seem to feel the least bit sorry for it. Seemed like sort of an empty existence to me but I was happy with the girl I had. I supposed Jason was still looking for the one that he wouldn't feel the need to trade in so quickly.

After we got back to the farmhouse, I helped Jason move the picnic tables in the backyard while Sookie helped Michele and her Gran get the food together. They'd invited family and some friends over for a cook out in the back. Claudine had promised to stop by after she got back from some lavish reception her father was holding in her honor in Monroe. It didn't go unnoticed that the Stackhouses had been left off the guest list. Michele made a point of saying she didn't care but the way she went on and on about it suggested otherwise.

"Here, take one of these." Jason passed me a bottle of beer.

"I'm not twenty-one." I didn't want to disrespect Corbett's rules.

"What's the drinking age in Sweden?" Jason asked.

"Eighteen."

"That's good enough for me. Besides, one beer ain't gonna hurt you and it's not like you're driving anywhere tonight. Drink up. Live a little." Jason insisted.

Corbett came out a short time later to get the grill going and took a beer that Jason offered to him. He took one look at me with the beer in my hand and started laughing. "I was wondering how long it'd be before you caved. My son do that?" He nodded to the beer.

"He insisted, though he didn't have to twist my arm too hard."

"You a drinker?" Corbett arched an eyebrow.

"No, sir." I wasn't an alcoholic, if that's what he meant. "But this isn't my first, either."

"So long as you don't get all liquored up and then go driving around with my baby girl, I don't care. So, is barbacue big in Sweden?" Corbett was a master at switching topics as soon as his curiosity had been satisfied. I liked that about him.

We were standing there discussing Swedish cuisine when Sookie came outside with two large bags full of corn and a giant kettle. She had changed out of the white sundress I was sure I'd be seeing again when I showered later that night, in favor of that white bikini with the cherries on it. She'd paired it with a tiny denim skirt and red flip-flops. Her hair was twisted up and piled on top of her head.

"You need a hand?" I offered her.

"Sure." She smiled at me and set the kettle down on the lawn. "Looks like you and Daddy are getting along well."

"He hasn't threatened to kill me again, so I guess that's a step in the right direction." I shrugged and took a seat on one of the benches, setting my beer down on the table.

"How many of those have you had?" Sookie nodded toward the bottle.

"Just one so far, but I have a feeling your brother won't let it stay that way."

"You're an adult, Eric. Do what you want." Sookie shrugged. "Just remember there's no way I can carry you into the house if you have too much."

"I don't think that will be a problem, älskling." I leaned over and kissed her head. She blushed a bit and then handed me an ear of corn.

"Are you ever going to tell me what that word means?" Sookie looked at me out of the corner of her eye as she began to shuck her first ear of corn. There had to be at least three dozen waiting for us.

"What will you trade me for it?"

"Hmmm," Sookie scrunched up her nose in thought. "What would it take?"

Without thought I leaned over and whispered, "Ten minutes with you in a locked room in that dress you were wearing earlier."

Sookie giggled and nibbled her bottom lip. "I'll see if I can arrange it."

"You're going to be the death of me, Stackhouse." I kissed her and then went back to shucking corn.

Sookie and I had decided that we would tell her parents about the roadtrip after dinner. We'd come up with a pretty well thought out plan that we were proud of. Since we had a few weeks to get from Louisiana to Chicago, we decided to take a pretty scenic route to get there. We'd decided to head west. We'd drive through Texas and into New Mexico before going to Arizona and spending a night or two at the Grand Canyon camping out. From there we'd drive up to Las Vegas and then into California. We'd drive up the coast of the state before heading more inland.

We were going to drive through northern Nevada to stop in Salt Lake City before going through Colorado and Nebraska to make a stop in South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. From there it would depend on how much time we had left. If there was enough time we'd drive through Minnesota and Wisconsin before heading back south to Chicago. If there wasn't enough time we'd just drive east through Iowa and then into Illinois. I was hoping we'd have enough time for the former option. I wanted to see as much as I could and I knew Sookie did, too. We'd put a lot of thought into all of it and we'd come up with a pretty comprehensive itinerary for our trip.

"You nervous about later?" I asked her as we worked.

"A little, but I'm glad you swung Gran in your favor. Daddy will take it better if Gran is on our side. She has a way of getting him to see reason." Sookie smiled nervously. She was more nervous than she was letting on and I can't say I blamed her for it. I was nervous about it, too.

One by one her friends started dropping by. Corbett fancied himself a bit of a pit master and spent most of the afternoon tending the grill. Jason set up a volleyball net for what appeared to be a water balloon toss of death. He didn't use little balloons, either. They were regulation party sized balloons that easily weighed a few pounds a piece. Between the heft in the balloons and the alcohol in our bodies it didn't take long for all of us to end up soaked.

The party wrapped up just after dark. We all pitched in to help clean up. Gran was staying over so I was moved up to Jason's room for the night. It was fine by me, since Jason ended up going out with some of his friends for the night anyway. After all the clean up was done Sookie took a shower to get all the dirt and grass off of her. I paced anxiously, waiting for her to be ready to go have the talk with her parents we needed to have.

"You ready?" She asked after dressing herself in a pair of shorts and a tank top.

I nodded and said, "Now's as good a time as any." I hadn't anticipated being so nervous about the whole thing. I likened it to what it would feel like if I were about to ask her father for his permission to marry her, only what I was asking for here wouldn't be ending with a lifelong commitment.

I spied Bonnie propped up near the door and hoped Sookie'd had the forethought to unload the weapon just in case things didn't go well. She'd gathered up all of our research and plans and held my hand as we walked into the kitchen. Corbett, Michele, Linda and Gran were seated around the kitchen table playing cards and drinking iced tea. Conversation stopped when we walked into the room. Our faces must have hinted to the seriousness of the topic we were about to broach because Linda volunteered to head home.

"No, Aunt Linda, you should stay. You're going to hear about this anyway." Sookie said quickly and I wondered if she was hoping Linda could act as some sort of protection if things went badly.

"You better not be pregnant." Corbett eyed me.

"No sir." Sookie said with a relieved smile, glad to get that out of the way.

Corbett continued to stare me down. I let Sookie take the wheel on this one.

* * *

**SPOV**

"You come sit next to me, honey." Gran pulled at a chair next to her.

I squeezed Eric's hand and then went around the table to sit by Gran. Eric kept himself leaned against the counters. It seemed like he figured the farther away he was from Daddy, the better. Daddy didn't look too fond of Eric at the moment which made it harder to relax about the whole thing. Mom had a smile on her face in attempts to cut through the tension in the room. Aunt Linda looked a bit confused, staring from face to face, trying to garner clues as to what was about to happen.

"Eric and I have been doing some planning in the last couple of days. Y'all know the plan was always for him to spend some time here and then head on to see his aunt." I paused to wait to acknowledgment of Eric's plans. When I got what I was waiting for, I continued. "Well, Eric has asked me to take a roadtrip with him. Rather than flying up to Chicago alone, we thought we'd drive around for a while and see as much of the country as we can before going to Chicago."

The room was silent. Daddy still looked tense and Mom was still smiling, only it wasn't her usual happy smile. She was masking her own tension. Aunt Linda was the only one who looked at all happy for me. Gran squeezed my hand to give me confidence and nodded for me to continue when I hesitated.

"We've done a lot of planning and research in the last couple of days. We're fixing to leave on Friday. Our first stop will be in Dallas..." I pulled out the maps and plans we'd made and took them through the whole trip, step by step. "If all goes according to plan we'd end up in Chicago on July first. I'd stay there for the holiday and then we'd drive back here and be home in time for Jason's birthday."

I looked from face to face, hoping to see some sort of reaction change. Daddy, as I predicted he would, got up from the table and stomped out the back door. Mom released a heavy sigh while Gran squeezed my hand again.

"That sounds like a very thoughtful trip, honey." Gran smiled her encouragement at me.

"Thank you, Gran."

"So you're planning on leaving for a month?" Mom looked hurt more than anything else. "You've been planning this and you're just telling me about it now?"

"We only decided to do it last weekend, Mom. I would have told you sooner but we wanted to have a plan before we told you anything. I thought you'd take it better if you knew where I was going to be."

Mom snickered at this. "Sookie, honey, you know I trust you. You know I love you. And I also know that you're an adult and more than capable enough of making your own choices."

"But?"

"But no matter how well planned this trip is, I'm still going to worry about you." Mom turned toward Eric. "You better take care of my little girl or I will personally hunt you down and I won't need Bonnie or Clyde to make sure you suffer."

"I have absolutely no intention of letting anything happen to Sookie. She'll be safe with me, I promise." Eric swore to my mother and I knew he had every intention of seeing that promise through.

"I think it's great." Aunt Linda volunteered. "You're young. This is the sort of thing you should be doing. You should stretch your wings and see what else is out in the world."

"Thank you, Aunt Linda." I smiled at her. I could hear Daddy stomping around in the yard.

"He'll be fine. He just needs some time to adjust to it." Mom waved him off.

She asked a bunch of questions about where we were staying and what I was going to do about work. I told her I'd talked to Sam about it already and how he'd promised I'd still have a job when I got back. Although by the time I did, it wouldn't be long before I had to pack up for school. I was going off to LSU toward the middle of August. Eric was going to stay in a hotel close by until he finally left for home the day after Labor Day. At least he would get to see New Orleans before he went home.

Gran had been on-board with the plan without ever saying a word. Mom came around when she saw how much work and planning had gone into the little presentation I'd made. An hour passed and Daddy was still out in the yard. I excused myself and headed for the kitchen door.

"You want me to go out there with you?" Eric offered. He'd stayed pretty quiet unless he'd been asked a specific question.

"No, I think it's better if you stay here. Once Daddy calms himself I'm sure he'll have a whole battery of questions he wants to ask you." I stretched up onto my toes and kissed his cheek before going outside.

I found Daddy tinkering with his truck, grumbling under his breath as he worked. "You need a hand there?" I offered.

"You should go back inside. It's late."

I rolled my eyes. "Daddy, we need to talk about this."

"You're a big girl, Sookie. You can do what you want." He was being awfully distant which wasn't his usual style.

"It'd mean a lot to me to know you were okay with this." I stepped a little closer to the truck. "Your approval means a lot to me."

Daddy kept his head down, at least giving the appearance he was working on something. He didn't say anything. I took a few deep breaths and tried not to cry. I'd expected him to be upset but not like this. I turned to go back inside, figuring Daddy just wasn't ready to talk about it yet.

"It's not that I don't trust you, baby girl." Daddy's voice was soft. "It's not even that I don't trust that boy of yours. I see the way he looks at you when he thinks no one's paying attention. It reminds me a lot of the way I used to look at your mother when we first got started. And I see the way you look at him. I know he makes you happy. That's what scares me. I ain't worried you're going to end up with a flat tire in the middle of nowhere or that you'll get lost and turned around. I'm worried that when the time comes for you to say goodbye, you aren't going to be able to. I'm not ready to give you away yet, Sookie."

I ran over to my father and he dropped his tools to hug me tightly. I could have told him not to worry about that, that Eric wasn't taking me for good. But I knew Daddy didn't see it that way, and to be honest, I knew he was right on some level. I wasn't going to want to say goodbye at the end of summer. When Eric left, he would most definitely be taking a piece of me with him.

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**Yay, no one got killed in this chapter! *phew* We're getting closer and closer to the day our lovebirds fly the coup. Is everyone else as excited as I am? Reviews are love. Thanks for reading!**


	13. Free Bird

Okay, so as of late I pretty much suck at responding to all of the comments and emails I've been getting but I promise you I've been reading every single one of them and I really do appreciate you taking the time to tell me your thoughts and feelings about the chapters I post. It makes all of this so worthwhile. You wouldn't believe how many hits this story has gotten. Talk about things that'll make your head spin. Holy moly.

And for all of your effort and awesomeness, there is a little lemony preview of what's to come starting tomorrow *hubba hubba*

A huge thank you to **hearttorn** for not just pulling the plug on me. You are a goddess among betas, my dear.

**I do not own any of these characters but I am going to make them travel around the country for a while.**

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**Chapter Thirteen: Free Bird**

**EPOV**

The next few days went by quickly. There was a lot of packing to do and decisions to make. Corbett came around and even went with Sookie to trade in her car. She'd been planning on doing so anyway before she started college, since she would be doing a lot of driving back forth from Bon Temps to New Orleans. She left with a tiny yellow car I couldn't readily identify and came back with a silver SUV that was a few years old.

I was able to obtain an international driver's license so Sookie wouldn't have to do all of the driving on our trip. The application process was simple enough and the paperwork and new card were sent to me in the mail and arrived two days after my application was accepted. We spent the week shopping, packing and making sure we had our routes all planned out. I would be bringing my laptop along in case we needed to make any adjustments. Sookie was bringing her new camera along. It was a gift from her Uncle Bartlett and was a fairly expensive gift. Sookie looked a little uncomfortable about accepting it.

The day before we left Corbett showed me how to change a tire since I had no idea. He also showed me how to check the engine for minor problems and how to change the oil myself in case I needed to. Sookie already knew these things, having helped her father work on his truck since she was old enough to hold a socket wrench. I did pretty well, all things considered and I could tell it made Corbett feel better to know we were at least a bit more prepared for the trip by being able to take care of the car.

We packed up everything we could, knowing there were some things that would be better to buy on the road, as needed. Michele made a big dinner that night and I finally got to try dirty rice. It was good and definitely different from what I would have at home. Sookie and I played cards with her parents for a while after dinner before Michele broke out a pecan pie she'd baked earlier in the day while Corbett was giving me my mechanic's lesson. We stayed up talking until almost midnight before her parents went to bed.

When I finally had Sookie all to myself, she suggested we go for a walk. I was more than agreeable to that. We were both excited about the trip and needed to burn off some energy. There was another way I would have preferred to do that, but I knew there was no way we were going to have sex in her parents' house. I'd come to that conclusion a few days prior when we got really close to it.

* * *

**Tuesday**

_Michele had gone into Ruston to do some grocery shopping. Corbett and Jason were working on the road crew, leaving Sookie and I alone in the house. When Michele had left, we were out in the yard soaking up the sun. Sookie was sprawled out on a lounge chair in a black bikini with pink dots on it. Her hair was piled on top of her head. She looked gorgeous. I was sitting at the picnic table reading. I didn't notice when she got up to go inside. When I realized she was gone I waited a few minutes to see if she'd come back. I figured she'd gone inside for a drink or to use the bathroom._

_Ten minutes later, she was still missing in action. I got up and went into the house to find her up in her room, wearing the white dress she'd worn to graduation. She taken her hair down and it was sprawling down her back in golden waves. She'd even put on the same shoes she'd been wearing. At eighteen, I think I had my first heart attack._

"_What are you doing?" My voice was notably lower than usual. _

_She turned to face me without a hint of blush on her cheeks. She stepped toward me with confidence. There was no slinking or shy maneuvering. She knew what she was doing. I was hard immediately, and painfully so. _

"_We have a deal, remember?" She reached for my hands and pulled me into her bedroom._

_She sat me down on the edge of her bed and then closed and locked her bedroom door. She came back to me and straddled my lap, pressing herself against me. My throat went dry, __t__rying to think of something intelligent to say. Hell, anything more than a grunt would have been a miracle at that point._

"_You get ten minutes in a locked room with me and I get to know what you've been calling me. Unless you want to go back on our deal." She whispered the last part in my ear._

"_Nuh uh." Was all I could get out in a remotely understandable tone._

"_I was hoping you'd say that." She kissed under my ear and then moved toward my jaw until she got to my mouth. _

_"__Åh, knulla mig." I breathed against her beautiful mouth._

_Sookie was definitely running the show and I was content to let her. Her mouth opened, seeking entrance to mine. I gave it to her and didn't regret it for a second. Her tongue slid against mine while her hands slipped into my hair, tugging it gently as she guided our kisses. She released me long enough to find my hands and guide them under her skirt. I groaned into her mouth and had to break off the kiss to speak._

"_Sookie, you're not wearing..." I drifted off, unable to get the words out._

"_Nope, I'm not." She smiled against my lips and then went right back to kissing me, leaving my hands to do some exploring under her skirt._

_I broke away again. "Ten minutes isn't long enough."_

"_Don't be greedy." She admonished and ground herself against me._

_I found myself wondering where this version of Sookie had come from. This certainly wasn't the sweet, chaste girl I'd known for ten years. But then I told myself to shut up and just go with it. It wasn't as if she were drunk and didn't know what she was doing. She'd made this choice and I would be a fool not to go along with the program. _

_I let my hands move and explore her a little, moving slowly in case she changed her mind. I groaned again to find her wet and hot. She moaned in my mouth and pulled away to gasp for air. My thumb found her clit and started to rub slow circles around it, which got her hips moving against my straining erection. We were both breathing like we were running a marathon. Her moans became more regular as we found a rhythm that worked for both of us. I traced a finger up and down her center, coating it in her wetness before sliding it inside her. _

_Her eyes widened at my entrance. Her body was no longer her own. Her hips bucked toward me as I rubbed against her. Her lips emitted moans and whispers. When I was sure she could take it, I added a second finger. Her walls clamped down around them, squeezing tightly as her little body began to shake on top of me. She nibbled on my neck as she rode the waves of her orgasm and even though I wasn't buried inside her the way I desperately wanted to be, her pleasure was enough to trigger my own._

"_That was amazing." Sookie smiled lazily against my neck, her lips brushing light kisses on it. _

_I had no words so I lifted her face to mine and kissed my agreement instead. A car pulling up around back of the house forced me to withdraw my fingers from her. She'd whimpered at the loss of them but the look she'd given me was promise of things to come. As it was back home after talking to her on the web cam, I went downstairs and took a shower._

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_

While we were shopping at WalMart we'd bought condoms just to be on the safe side. Neither of us wanted to take any chances. We'd wait the full twenty-eight days before even considering sex without a back up plan. Ever since the encounter in her bedroom on Tuesday, we'd both been tingling with sexual tension. Being alone in a room together for more than a few seconds was enough time for us to get into a pretty serious make out session. It got to the point where we were almost avoiding each other just because it was painful to be that close and still not have what we wanted.

We walked hand in hand in the dark, up toward the road that went past Sookie's house. We stopped when we got to the mailbox and looked up at the sky. Sookie's head rested against my chest when my arm went around her. She slipped a hand into the back pocket of my jeans.

"You have a great ass." She whispered, earning her a small laugh from me.

"Do I?"

"You know you do." She squeezed and draped her other arm over my waist.

We stood there quietly for a while, just taking in the night. "We should head back. It's late and we should be on the road by nine."

She nodded against me and we turned back toward the house. "Let's go this way." Sookie pulled me toward the woods.

* * *

**SPOV**

I could feel the tension radiating off Eric as if it were my own. Actually, for all I knew, it might have been. We were both pretty high strung after Tuesday. Wiping the grin from my face had been next to impossible for the remainder of that particular day, and I got the feeling my parents were on to us. Daddy kept pretty quiet and avoided eye contact with Eric. Mom did her best to act as a buffer, though I could tell she was a bit tense about things as well. I honestly don't think I could blame them for it. I tried to see things through their eyes and that made it a little easier to deal with. I was their baby girl and a very sexy Swede was staying in their home and wooing me. And doing a damn fine job of it. I suppose if I were the parent, I'd be nervous too, especially knowing my daughter and said Swede were about to embark on a month long roadtrip without adult supervision.

Eric and I had decided I would take the first shift of driving in the morning. We'd switch every couple of hours as needed. We'd also determined that the driver got to pick the music, which would settle any debates on what we would listen to while we drove. Eric and I had pretty different tastes in music, though I was more tolerant than he was. More than once he'd cringed over the country music coming out of my speakers while we were in the car together. He didn't seem to like pop music much better but he'd just have to get over it.

"Why are we walking in the woods?" Eric asked once we were safely enveloped in the wooded darkness.

"Because I'm not quite ready to go home yet and I want to have you all to myself." I pulled him up along side a large tree.

Our mouths met almost instantly, with him lifting me up to balance out the height difference between us. His neck had to get sore after a while, although I'm not sure picking me up really made things much easier. It would be much better when we could lay in a bed and do this. One more day, I reminded myself. In less than twenty-four hours we'd be sleeping in the same bed. I could wait.

I'd wrapped my legs around him when Eric picked me up. I slid them down to let him know he should put me down, which he did. I pushed him against the tree, which he wasn't expecting. My hands slid up his shirt, my nails lightly raking over his chest. His mouth dipped back to mine and I caught him completely off guard when my hands moved to unzip his pants.

"Sookie, what are you-"

"Shhh." I whispered to him and pressed my lips to his. He was about to get his comeuppance for Tuesday.

I reached inside the boxer briefs he was wearing and freed him from his confines. Eric groaned against me as my hand started to move. I was surprised to find the skin there as soft as it was, considering the firmness of it. I tried not to panic just a bit at the size of him. I knew he was big because of the time I'd spent in his lap, but now I knew for sure just how big. My fingers didn't quite close all the way around him, making me wonder how he was going to fit other places if he didn't quite fit in my hand. The only reaction that seemed to be appropriate was yikes, yahoo, yum. There was a small pearly bead of liquid at the tip and I used it to make sure my hand slid accordingly when I stroked him. My mouth never left his as I touched him. His hips bucked against me just a little bit as his breathing grew heavy.

I wasn't at all surprised when he whispered, "God, I want to fuck you." The feeling was mutual.

If we wouldn't have been in the woods, and I wouldn't have been unsure of my skill, I might have tried using my mouth on him. I'd have to save that for later. There was no doubt I'd have plenty of chances to try it out over the summer. Eric growled in frustration when I slapped his hand away from the waistband of my shorts. This was about him. I'd gotten mine the other day, and quite honestly, just knowing that I was making him squirm like I was, was enough for me. I rubbed my thighs together to create a bit more tension. It's amazing what a tight pair of denim shorts can do if you move the right way.

I was nibbling Eric's neck when he warned me that he was close. I moved my arm a little faster and he pulled my face up to kiss him. His hands were in my hair, tugging just a little in a sexy way when he exploded in my hand. The kiss broke off mutually with Eric resting his forehead against mine for a moment before pressing kisses all over my face. It took a moment for him to regain his composure and then, like a gentleman, he whipped off his t-shirt and handed it over so I could wipe my hand. We didn't say anything for a minute.

He tucked himself back into his pants and zipped up. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

I blushed a bit and said, "I have a brother, remember? Him and his friends aren't exactly quiet about that particular topic."

I hated to mention Jason at a time like that, but it was the truth. I'd cringed at the time for having to hear the things they said. The last thing I wanted to hear about was my brother's sexual preferences. But I'd heard enough to know what worked and what didn't. Thankfully, Eric didn't have a response because I really didn't want to discuss it any further.

We walked back to the house in silence. We paused on the front porch to kiss goodnight. The kiss lasted for a half an hour before we finally broke apart. It was close to two in the morning. Eric headed for the shower while I went to the kitchen to wash my hands. I stayed out of sight and waited for him to go to bed for the night before heading to the bathroom to brush my teeth. I half expected him to ambush me in the bathroom and give me a taste of my own medicine, but that didn't happen. I didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed over it.

I headed up to bed and fell into a restful sleep. Sleep came much easier with the realization it would be the last night we'd have to sleep apart for a long time. Before I knew it my alarm was going off beside me. I reached over and turned off the alarm. I laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling for a while. I listened to the sound of the birds out in the trees, wondering if I would hear the same things in other parts of the country when I woke in the morning. I'd never paid much attention to those sounds before but realized I would probably miss then when they were gone.

Although the sound of Eric breathing beside me would help to quell any homesickness I might feel. I turned on my side and remembered what it felt like to sleep next to him and I couldn't stop smiling. I'd left my bedroom door open when I'd gone to bed so I would hear Daddy getting ready for work and I could run downstairs to say goodbye to him before he left. I turned over to realize my door was closed.

"Shit!" I cursed and sat upright in bed. It was after seven. Daddy would be long gone, as would Jason. I got out of bed all the same since I needed to get in the shower and get ready to go. On my dresser was a small box with a card under it with Daddy's chicken scratch handwriting on it.

I tore into the envelope and pulled the card out. On the front was a black and white image of a man holding the hand of a little girl as they walked down the beach. I smiled at the image and thought of the trips we'd made to Lake Charles when I was a little girl. I opened the card and prepared myself. Daddy wasn't a very emotional man and after the display he'd made the night I'd told him I was leaving, I was sure there'd be some silly joke inside to combat the cuteness on the front of the card.

_Baby girl,_

_I'll keep this short and sweet, since I know you have things to do and I don't want to make you cry. I bet you're crying already, aren't ya? Well stop that. I know I reacted bad at first when you told me you were leaving. I hope you understand the reasons why I did. No matter how old you get, you're always going to be like that little girl on the front of this card. It won't matter how big you are or how smart you get. To me you'll always be the little girl who sat on my shoulders at the fourth of July parade or handed me tools when I fixed the truck. You can always count on me, Sookie. That won't change__,__ no matter how grown up you are. I know I've told you a million times before__,__ but you are the sunshine of my life._

_I love you,_

_Daddy_

My lip quivered as I read through my father's short letter a second time. I stuffed the card in my purse to take with me and read when I felt homesick. I opened the little box and couldn't help but laugh when I saw a little compass on a pretty gold chain. Leave it to Daddy to give me something beautiful and practical at the same time.

I grabbed my fresh clothes off my desk chair and took my new necklace downstairs with me so Mom could put it on me when I got out of the shower. I heard voices speaking softly in the kitchen and once again, it was Eric and Mom in there. I paused to listen briefly, even though it was rude to do so.

"Just promise me y'all won't get married in Las Vegas." Mom said and a hand flew up to cover my mouth so she wouldn't hear my gasp.

"Don't worry, Michele, we won't be getting married this summer. Maybe next year." Eric remarked casually, getting what could only be described as a cackle out of my mother.

"I take it you haven't run that past Corbett?"

"I haven't even run it past Sookie." He damn sure hadn't.

"But you've thought about it?" Mom didn't sound concerned or disappointed as much as she sounded hopeful, which was a bit of a surprise to me.

"It's come to mind once or twice but I haven't given it too much thought. We both have too many big decisions to make about our lives before we start talking about something like that. Besides, we have the next twelve weeks to see if we can even stand being together for an extended period of time." Did Eric see this trip as a trial marriage of sorts? I'd have to ask him about that later.

"And traveling, no less. Well, my only advice is to make sure Sookie has coffee in the morning and chocolate when she's crabby." Mom advised him.

"I'll remember that." Eric laughed and I decided I'd eavesdropped enough and headed to take my shower.

* * *

**EPOV**

I hadn't slept very well. Mostly I tossed and turned, overcome by a sudden nervousness I hadn't anticipated. I was thankful Sookie was taking the first shift behind the wheel since I wasn't really in good shape for driving. Sookie had caught me completely off guard by our little interlude in the woods. I suspect it had been her attempt to distract me from thinking about the trip too much, but all it did was make me think about what was missing between us. I kept telling myself to be patient. I could wait for her. I had waited for ten years. I could wait just one more night.

Around dawn I'd given up trying to get any real sleep. I decided to get up and go for a run. By the time I got back to the house, Corbett's truck was gone. I'd hoped to get back to the house before he left. I appreciated his hospitality and letting me stay in his house for the last two weeks. Not many fathers would allow something like that, even though I'd done the best I could to respect the rules he and Michele had laid out for us before my arrival. I hoped that I'd done well enough that I would be invited back if I came to the States again.

I showered when I got back to the house and then got dressed. I went to my room and stripped the linens off the bed before taking them to the back porch and leaving them by the washing machine. I went out to the yard to retrieve the shirt I'd worn the night before. I'd washed it in the big sink on the back porch after Sookie had gone up to bed and left it out on the clothes line to dry overnight. It was still a bit on the damp side because of the humidity that hung in the air but at least it was clean. I tossed it in the dryer on the porch so I could stuff it into one of my bags.

I was in the midst of starting the coffee when Michele came into the kitchen. "God morgon, Eric." She greeted in her muddled Swedish. I had to applaud her for trying.

"God morgon, Michele." I smiled at her.

"It sounds so much better when you say it." She laughed quietly and began pulling food out of the refrigerator.

"Keep working on it. There are programs on the internet you can download that will help you if you really want to learn."

"I'll stick to a live tutor, thanks. Did you sleep okay last night?"

"Not really. It's a good thing Sookie is driving first today."

Michele nodded her agreement as she started cracking eggs into a bowl. "It's also a good thing that Dallas will only be about four hours away. You'll be able to get settled in for the night early and you can get a good night's rest."

I couldn't very well tell Michele that I was hoping I would only get sleep later after her daughter and I exhausted ourselves on one another. Then again, I could catch a nap in the car. After a while, highway was highway. I helped Michele make french toast and bacon, giving her the last Swedish lesson I'd be able to give her for a month. Her accent would probably never be that good but I definitely gave her points for trying.

We talked a bit about the various stops Sookie and I would be making. If we stayed on schedule, it had just so happened we would be in Las Vegas on June 20th, which was Father's Day. "Just promise me y'all won't get married in Las Vegas." Michele was only half joking with her request.

"Don't worry, Michele, we won't be getting married this summer." I promised her and she smiled at me. "Maybe next year." I suggested and she shook her head, still grinning.

"I take you haven't run that past Corbett?"

"I haven't even run it past Sookie." And I hadn't. We were too young and too new at being anything other than friends. I wasn't even sure what we were to one another yet. We hadn't quite defined our relationship. I suppose, to quote that movie she'd made me watch my first night here, I could say we were friends with potential. Truthfully, I liked the sound of it.

"But you've thought about it?" Michele asked for clarification.

"It's come to mind once or twice but I haven't given it too much thought. We both have too many big decisions to make about our lives before we start talking about something like that. Besides, we have the next twelve weeks to see if we can even stand being together for an extended period of time." If we couldn't handle being together for the next twelve weeks, there was no way we'd ever be able to be married to one another.

That's not to say I didn't expect us not to fight or get on one another's nerves. Fighting was an inevitable part of relationships. It was how we dealt with the fights that I was most curious to see. Would we avoid our problems until they got too big? Would we confront things in a head-on fashion as we'd been trying to do? Would we let petty arguments fester between us? Would we have explosive arguments that had us stomping out on one another, only to make up a short time later, convinced we had both been wrong? I was almost excited about the first fight we would have.

"And traveling, no less. Well, my only advice is to make sure Sookie has coffee in the morning and chocolate when she's crabby." Michele advised me in her best mother's tone. She knew Sookie's habits much better than me, though I was beginning to learn.

"I'll remember that." And I would.

I heard the click of the bathroom door closing and I wondered if Sookie had heard any part of our conversation. If she had, how much had she heard? I'd had several conversations like these with Michele over the course of my stay. I enjoyed talking to her. She could give me insight into the inner workings of Sookie's mind when I found myself stumped. It boded well for me that Michele was kind enough to fill in the blanks so I could avoid stepping on landmines. It didn't hurt that Michele was a good listener. She was easy to talk to. She had passed that trait on to her daughter.

I was flipping bacon strips for Michele when Sookie appeared in the kitchen. Her hair was still damp and hanging down her back. She was dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a wifebeater. Her cheeks were rosy in a sunkissed sort of way, evidence left behind from all the time we'd spent outdoors in the last few days. She looked beautiful.

"Good morning." Sookie grinned at us as she made her way to the coffee machine.

"God morgon, Sookie." Michele and I chorused back in Swedish, making Sookie roll her eyes at us.

"You going to phone in Mom's Swedish lesson each morning?" Sookie teased.

"I was thinking about it." I winked at Michele.

"Jealous?" Michele looked over her shoulder at Sookie.

"Ha! I'm not, but Daddy might start to get a little curious." Sookie pointed out. "I'd hate for Bonnie and Clyde to get an invite to our welcome home party."

While I helped Michele with breakfast, Sookie double checked to make sure we had everything on our checklist. It wasn't long before breakfast was ready and the three of us sat down to eat together. We laughed and joked over our last meal together for at least a month. I pushed back my exhaustion, knowing I'd have plenty of time to nap in the car if I wanted to. Sookie and I did the dishes when we were done eating while Michele went to go shower and dress for the day.

"How'd you sleep last night?" I asked, hoping she'd say she was well-rested, since I was in no position to be driving.

"About as well as could be expected, actually. As soon as I got upstairs I got into bed and passed out. Daddy came upstairs at some point this morning and left me a present and a card. It was really sweet." Sookie smiled over at me as I dried plates. "When we're done would you mind helping me with my present?"

"As long as it doesn't have anything to do with engine work. My brain isn't working at full capacity this morning." I told her.

"Uh oh, that doesn't sound good." Sookie looked at me with concern. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

"No, of course not." I put the plates away and then dropped my towel on the counter next to the sink. I braced myself on my hands on either side of her body and whispered in her ear. "You just got me thinking on a whole different wave length last night after that little detour through the woods. It was hard to sleep." I watched her smile slowly, a blush creeping up on her.

"I guess my mission backfired." Sookie turned her face toward mine. "I thought you'd relax a little after that."

"I did for a few seconds." I kissed her neck lightly, keeping my lips close to her ear. "I might have slept better if I had known you were feeling as good as I was."

"You can owe me one. Does that sound fair?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way, älskling." I kissed her again and then backed away.

Sookie smiled over at me. As part of our agreement in exchange for those ten wonderful minutes locked in her bedroom with her in that beautiful white and red dress, I'd promised to tell her what _älskling_ meant. Only when I'd tried to tell her, she'd decided she didn't want to know. I'd told her that she reserved the right to change her mind at any time. So far, she hadn't cashed in on it.

We finished cleaning up and I clasped the necklace around her neck that Corbett had given her. It seemed pretty fitting and it was obvious Sookie loved it. Time was running out and we'd planned to be on the road by nine. We took the last of our bags out to the car. Sookie put our drinks and snacks into the cooler. We were planning on doing us much of our own cooking as possible. We'd be staying in hotels from time to time but we mostly planned to camp out where we could. A small grill was packed in the back. It was a gas powered grill that didn't take up a whole lot of room, which was good considering we didn't have a whole lot of room to spare.

We'd packed enough clothes for a week's worth of changes and that was it. We would have to stop along the way to do laundry but it was better than having to rent a small trailer to hitch up to the back of the SUV. If we'd had more time to prepare for the trip, we might have ended up doing just that. Maybe next summer, assuming this one went well.

"Time to go." Sookie announced from the foyer of her house.

Michele appeared from her bedroom, dressed in capri pants and a t-shirt, camera in hand. She followed us out to the car and took one last picture of us before we got inside. Sookie started the car and Michele reached in through the window to hug Sookie.

"Now if anything, and I mean _anything_ goes wrong, you call us first thing. Got it?" Michele looked back and forth between us. "I don't care if it's the middle of the night or if you're in jail. You call us."

"Yes ma'am." Sookie and I agreed with her.

"Good." Michele nodded and then came around to the passenger's side to hug me. "You take good care of my baby."

"I'll guard her with my life." I answered, being completely serious with Michele.

"I know you will. Jag litar på dig, Eric." Michele smiled at me with tears in her eyes.

I nodded as Sookie put the car in gear. Michele stepped back and waved as we pulled away from the house. Sookie's eyes flicked toward the rearview mirror. At the last minute her small arm shot out the window and waved a final goodbye to her mother before she turned right onto Hummingbird Road.

* * *

***sings* If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? Well I must be traveling on now, 'cause there's too many places I've got to see...*clears throat* Okay, I'll stop. Sorry. Had to do it. Hopefully that little bit of citrusy goodness got you in the mood for the main event tomorrow. I know Eric and Sookie are ready. More than ready. And just wait until you see some of the things I've got them doing later. Yum.**

**Thanks for reading!**

Courtesy of Google Translate:**  
**

_Åh, knulla mig._ Oh, fuck me. (That Eric sure has a dirty mouth, doesn't he? *goes to wash it out*)

_Jag litar på dig, Eric._ I trust you, Eric.


	14. Interstate Love Song

So this is it! This is what we've all been waiting for. So many goodies in the chapters I'm posting today. I'm really excited for you all to finally read it because there's so much fun stuff in the future for these two lovebirds. Props to **howyoudsdoin** for the laughs she supplied this morning "I love when Eric said..."God, I want to fuck you." Oh yeah I did! I was like, dayum and had to pull my own hair LOL.. And about Sookie and her hand job **squee** that saucy lil hookah, you work your shitSook, pull that mans wings off and keep him from flyin away, dat's fo sho!" _That was epic._

I have to thank **hearttorn** for putting up with me since I can be somewhat of an impatient brat. I sincerely hope I haven't bullied her into editing here.

**I do not own these characters, but I am going to cover them in lemon zest.**

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**Chapter 14: Interstate Love Song**

**SPOV**

I was curious as to what Mom said to Eric in Swedish before I pulled away but figured it was personal. I wouldn't pry. If Eric wanted to tell me, he would. We drove through Bon Temps, stopping at a gas station to fill the tank and buy ice to fill the cooler in the back seat. I planned on mostly drinking bottled water and the occasional iced tea while Eric preferred energy drinks and Gatorade. I was thankful when I saw Eric grab a sports drink instead of a Monster. He looked positively exhausted and I was glad I was taking the first shift behind the wheel.

Once the car was fueled up and the ice was in the cooler we headed out for real. It didn't take long before we were on I-20, headed west toward Shreveport. The drive to Dallas wouldn't take too long. It would be just long enough to have us a bit restless and ready to get out and really stretch our legs. Based on the directions I'd pulled off the internet I planned to stop somewhere between Longview and Tyler, depending on how much gas we had. I didn't want to let the tank go below a quarter before refilling. The last thing I needed was to get stuck somewhere with no gas. To that end, I'd put a small five gallon container in the back that I'd filled at the gas station in case of emergencies. It just seemed smart to be prepared.

I hooked up my iPod to the stereo with an auxillary cable like Daddy had showed me. It plugged into the cigarette lighter. After closely inspecting Eric's iPod once or twice over the last two weeks I'd found a few songs we both seemed to like and I'd added them to my iPod while playing around with his laptop. I'd created a playlist of what I considered to be good road music. I pushed play and the first song to come up was one of Eric's. "Interstate Love Song" by the Stone Temple Pilots.

Eric's head whipped around to face me but I just kept my eyes on the road as I merged over. His hand grabbed my free one and he laced his fingers with mine. Once I was settled in my lane I glanced over at him and smiled. Compromise was good.

"So what do you want to do tonight in Dallas?" I'd asked him.

We'd had to make a reservation at a hotel but that was fine with me. One last night of luxury before we proceeded to camp like vagabonds for the majority of our trip. We wouldn't be staying in a hotel again until we got to Las Vegas in over a week. We would be spending our first night away from my house in a Holiday Inn in a king suite we'd booked on-line. The rates were reasonable and if we were going to stay in a hotel, I'd rather stay somewhere reputable than take my chances on some roadside motel I couldn't be sure had been thoroughly cleaned lately.

Since our check-in time wasn't until three we'd have a few hours to kill once we arrived in Dallas. I'd done some scouting on the internet and found out we could take a tour of the Texas Ranger's ballpark for relatively cheap. Eric didn't know much about baseball when he arrived from Sweden, but Daddy was a Rangers fan. When I told him we would be taking the tour he made me promise to take a million pictures. The trip to Arlington would take us a little bit beyond the hotel, but it beat just window shopping and walking the streets of Dallas for two hours. It was very much in our favor that the Rangers would be up in Milwaukee for a three game series.

Eric fell asleep about a half hour into the drive. I did my best not to sing along, since I had no doubt my screeching would wake him up. I danced in my seat when peppier songs came up in the shuffle. We were about two hours into the drive when I stopped at an oasis so I could get out and stretch my legs. My butt had fallen asleep from the vibrations and sitting for so long. Eric didn't even seem to notice. I called Mom to let her know we'd safely made it over the border into Texas and were making good time.

I got a bottle of water out of the cooler and then got back behind the wheel. I was just merging back into the interstate when Eric's eyes fluttered open. He looked a bit confused for a second and then rubbed his eyes. He was so adorable when he was sleeping. It was hard to keep my eyes on the road.

"Where are we?" He stretched as much as he could in the seat. It was pushed all the way back and he still looked a bit cramped.

"Just outside of Marshall. We're pretty good on gas so I figure I'll probably stop again closer to Tyler to fill up, but my butt fell asleep." I explained with a small giggle.

"You should have woken me up. I would have been happy to help." He smiled dreamily, his eyes already closing again.

"I think you're too tired for that." I reached over and put my hand on his thigh. He covered my hand with his and dropped back into sleep.

When I stopped outside of Tyler for gas I did wake Eric so he could get up and stretch out a little. What a lovely sight that was. When he pulled his arms up over his head, his t-shirt went up with them, giving me a lovely view of his very nicely defined abs. Yum. He caught me looking at him and he winked. I didn't bother looking away like I normally would have. He was sex on two legs and he knew it as well as I did. There was no point in trying to hide it or deny it.

"How was your nap?" I walked around to his side of the car to give him a hug.

"Surprisingly peaceful, considering your taste in music." He teased and I bit him through his shirt. He flinched a little and laughed at my reaction. "I never would have figured you for a biter."

"Well, there's all sorts of things you don't know about me."

"I'm starting to see that." He bent to kiss me.

He filled the gas tank while I went to the bathroom. I came back to find him leaned up against the car with a Monster in his hand. I took a deep breath and shook my head as I walked toward him. He had his sunglasses on and sunshine was bouncing off blond hair, the same shade as my own. His even lightened the same way mine did if we stayed in the sun for too long. I imagined by the end of summer, our hair would be almost white from all the sun exposure.

"It's hard to see out here but there is a patch of skin on my leg that is a bit darker from driving with the sunroof open." I told Eric as he replaced the gas cap.

"I'll have to check it out for myself later, then." He grinned at me.

We got back in the car and I got us back on the interstate. It didn't take long for that energy drink to kick in and before long, Eric looked mighty restless in the seat next to me. He was drumming along with the beat of the Led Zeppelin song that was blaring out of my speakers.

"You want me to pull over so you can run along side the car?" I joked with him.

He laughed and looked my way. "Am I really that bad, Älskling?"

"You should have just slept the rest of the way. That's what you're supposed to do when you're tired."

"If I sleep too much now I will have a hard time sleeping later and I have to drive tomorrow for the first shift."

I wanted to make some silly joke about him having a hard time sleeping later on account of me but decided it was probably best not to get him all revved up with nowhere to go. Instead we started playing road games. After doing some internet research we decided to create a scavenger hunt to keep us entertained while looking out the window. We had a whole list of things we were looking for. So far I'd spotted a discarded shoe and cows (lots of them) that we could cross off the list.

I had a feeling, however, our favorite game would be "The Car Next Door" in which we got to make up stories about the people in the car next to us. Eric roared with laughter when we spotted a license plate on a car that read 'BG SWEDE' and I laughed right along with him.

"I guess I know what I won't be able to put on a license plate if I ever moved here." Eric said when we calmed down. That is, until we got even with the driver to find a small blond woman behind the wheel.

"Apparently her idea of big and my idea of big are two very different things." I commented as we passed her by.

"You and me both." Eric said absently.

* * *

**EPOV**

I slept well for the first two hours we were on the road. The steady movement of the car had me somewhat hypnotized. I'd wanted to stay awake a while longer but my eyelids just got too heavy. I know I dreamed during my nap but I couldn't recall anything when I woke. I was a little disappointed I missed so much of the drive. The whole point was to see the country and I was already passed out.

Driving with Sookie was fun, in spite of our differing tastes in music. I knew she'd flipped through my iPod but was surprised to find she'd added some of my favorite songs to hers. It was a nice surprise I hadn't been expecting from her. I decided then and there I would ease up giving her a hard time for the country and pop music she liked so much. I didn't see myself bending much when it came to the pop music but I found that country wasn't so bad if you listened to the words. I wouldn't tell _her_ that, though. At least not yet.

The drive went by quickly with the games we had found on the internet and a few we'd made up ourselves. Before I knew it we were in Arlington and searching for the proper parking lot for the tour of the stadium she wanted to see. Baseball wasn't a big deal in Sweden and I'd never played it myself. All I'd learned about it in the last two weeks I'd learned from Corbett. He was as passionate about baseball as I was about football. I refused to call it soccer.

We paid the ridiculous fee to park the car in the stadium's lot and walked to the proper gate to purchase our tour tickets. We'd gotten there just before two, which was the last tour of the day. We waited with a small group of people for the tour to start. It was an hour long tour and we'd decided we would stop somewhere for lunch on our way back to Dallas. I'd tried not to think too much about what would happen once Sookie and I were alone in our hotel room together but it was hard not to.

The tour went by quickly. It was more interesting to Sookie than it was to me but it was worth it just to see the smile on her face. She put me in charge of taking pictures which was just fine with me. It gave me something else to focus on when I got bored with the tour. She got especially excited when she got to walk around the Rangers' clubhouse.

"Oh, you have to take a picture of me standing in front of Rich Harden's locker." Sookie tried to cover her excitement with an eye roll. "He's Daddy's favorite pitcher."

"Uh huh." I went along with her, though my tone told her I knew this Rich Harden guy wasn't just her father's favorite.

I made a mental note to google him later and took the pictures for her. She giggled like a school girl. I bit back any rising feelings of jealousy. Being jealous of a baseball player she may have had a crush on was silly. I knew that as surely as I knew the chances of her running off with said baseball player were essentially nonexistent. Still... it irked me.

When the tour ended we asked one of the other people on the tour to take our picture outside the stadium. Sookie planned on putting together an album for me to take back to Sweden when I went home. She wanted to document everything she could with pictures. I flipped through the pictures I'd taken while we walked back to the car and was surprised to find she'd taken a few of my sleeping in the front seat.

"You took pictures of me while I was sleeping?" I arched an eyebrow at her.

"You looked so cute." She pouted and squeezed my hand.

I turned off the camera and slipped it in my pocket. Sookie let go of my hand and without warning, jumped on my back. "Is this how it's going to be all summer?" I turned my face back toward hers.

"Yep. Got a problem with that?" She kissed my cheek.

"Nope, not at all." I hooked my hands under her knees, holding her tightly to me. She kissed the back of my neck and scratched lightly at my chest. "Sookie..." I growled a warning after a minute of her ministrations.

"What? I'm just trying to make the ride pleasurable for us both." She whispered in my ear.

"Unless you want to lose your virginity in a parking lot in the back seat of your car, you'll stop that." I wasn't at all kidding but that didn't stop her from giggling.

"Sorry, sir." She teased and planted one last kiss on me.

I let her down when we got back to the car. "I'll drive."

She unlocked the doors and then handed over the keys. The drive back to Dallas marked another first for us, since I hadn't driven since I'd left Sweden and I'd certainly never driven with Sookie in the car before. She found out quickly that I had a bit of a lead foot. I reminded myself to try and keep the speeding to a minimum when we weren't on an empty highway since I couldn't afford a speeding ticket. I really didn't want to test the validity of my international driver's license if I didn't have to.

We made a stop at a grocery store and picked up dinner for ourselves. Sookie wasn't a big fan of fast food, which I was thankful for. McDonald's would do in a pinch but I didn't want that to become a steady part of my diet. I'd gone out of my way to avoid it for most of my life. We ended up raiding the freezer section for food that could be cooked in the microwave the hotel provided. There weren't a whole lot of healthy choices in that area either but we managed. We also picked up some fresh fruit and the necessary items for sandwich making since those things would travel fine in the cooler.

By the time we got to the hotel it was well after four. Our reservation at the hotel was in my name so I went inside to check us in. Sookie waited out in the car since we didn't know where we'd be staying in the hotel. In the bags we'd put in the car this morning were our clothes for tonight and the following day. We'd swap out the clothes in the morning, rather than bringing everything in with us.

I got us checked into the hotel and then went outside to park the car. We took our overnight bag upstairs along with the necessary groceries and the bag that contained my laptop. No way in hell was I leaving that in the car overnight. The hotel assured me the car would be safe in the lot but I wasn't taking any chances. Our room was on the sixth floor overlooking a busy street. There was a separate sitting room with a pull-out bed, not that we'd be needing that. At least I hoped we wouldn't.

Sookie put the groceries into the fridge and went to inspect the bedding to make sure it was clean. "What are you doing?" I asked her as she leaned in close to look at the sheets.

"Making sure there aren't any stains or stray hairs in there." She said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Why?"

"Because some hotels aren't as clean as they want you to think they are." Sookie shrugged before putting the comforter back where it belonged.

"You warm?" I asked her. I wanted to turn the air conditioning on but I wouldn't turn it up too high if she wasn't warm.

"A little." She shrugged. "I'm going to go take a shower." She said over her shoulder and then went to the bathroom.

I took advantage of the alone time and fired up my laptop. I uploaded the pictures we'd taken that day so she'd have more free space on her memory card for the following day. I checked my email and sent one to my mother to let her know we'd made it to Texas. I'd emailed her the same schedule we'd given to Sookie's parents and promised I would call her on Sunday as we'd agreed. By Sunday we'd be getting to the Grand Canyon, if all went according to plan.

Sookie came out of the bathroom to find me sitting on the bed, googling Rich Harden. "What are you doing?" Sookie asked with a laugh.

"I was just wondering who this Rich Harden guy is." I tried to sound casual but my tone completely betrayed me.

"Just wondering, huh?" Sookie leaned over and kissed me to get my attention.

I hadn't looked up until that moment. Then I realized she was only wearing a towel. Suddenly, Rich Harden didn't matter anymore. I closed the laptop and pushed it off my lap. Sookie moved to take the place of the machine, her weight settling on my lap easily. I could feel the dampness on her legs. Tiny beads of water were still on her shoulders. She hadn't dried off very well before coming out of the bathroom. Her hair hung in wet waves down her back, dripping water onto my legs.

"You're wet." My voice was thick.

Sookie smirked as my hands moved to grip her hips. She leaned into me when I stretched forward to kiss her. My lips grazed hers a few times before they finally connected. She opened her mouth to me when I tried to gain entrance to it. Our tongues clashed and her arms closed around my neck. I could feel her heartbeat against my chest and my hands began to unravel the towel that was wrapped around her. She didn't stop me. She suddenly pulled back, and for a second, I thought she was going to collect her towel and disappear.

Instead she surprised me by saying, "You're overdressed." She then proceeded to pull my t-shirt up over my head.

From that point on we were a bit of a blur of exploring hands and lips, moving all over each other's bodies. We reversed positions so I was on top of Sookie. I settled between her legs with her knees pressed tightly at my hips. Her pelvis bucked a bit to grind against me, making both of us groan. If this was really going to happen, there were preparations that had to be made. I knew it would be painful for Sookie no matter how well prepared she was. Not only was I larger than most men but it was also her first time.

When I hesitated just a moment too long, Sookie nodded her head. "It's okay, Eric. I want to." She stroked my cheek in a loving sort of way.

I lowered myself to kiss her while my hand slipped between her legs. Much like the first time I'd touched her there, she was wet and ready. I started the same way I had the first time with gentle circles rubbed against her slick skin. She moaned and arched against me. We kissed pretty steadily until she was pleading quietly for more. I slid a finger inside her and she moaned a little louder.

"More, Eric," she moaned against my skin and I added a second finger. She groaned against the stretching her body was doing.

"So beautiful, Älskling." I whispered as my mouth latched onto one of her breasts. She gasped at the sensation, her body writhing under me as I put a third finger inside her.

She cried out when I curled those fingers, finding a sweet spot inside of her. "Gah! Eric!" She called out my name and I almost came right there, it was so hot to hear her say my name like that. She spasmed violently and then gasped for air, her walls squeezing my fingers. "Don't stop, Eric!"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Älskling." I kissed my way down her body to let my tongue to take over for my thumb.

I watched her, watching me. Her eyes were hooded with lust and nervousness. I whispered for her to relax but it took a moment for the tension in her to dissolve. When it did, her eyes rolled back into her head. I held her hips down with my free hand since they were starting to rise and fall with the stroking of my fingers. She had no idea how beautiful she was as she writhed there before me and I wasn't sure I had the words to tell her.

She came a second time a few minutes later, her body shaking just as much as it did the first time she'd climaxed. I withdrew my fingers from her and kissed my way back up her body. Her arms reached up shakily, and closed around my neck pulling my mouth to hers to kiss me. She didn't seem to care that her juices were on my lips. She tasted like heaven. Everything about her was perfect.

When she released me she had tears in her eyes. I was worried I'd hurt her for a moment but that worry went away when she stretched forward to kiss me once more before whispering, "You should get a condom."

She didn't have to tell me twice.

* * *

**Just in case you were scratching your heads over it, I am a big baseball fan. Scratch that. I am a big CUBS fan. Rich Harden used to pitch for us before he was traded to the Rangers. I was sad to see him go. Not only is a good pitcher, but he's also kinda pretty. Seriously. Google him if you don't believe me. I'm a sucker for pretty eyes, and he's definitely got a pair of 'em.**

**That said, how happy are you that I'm posting twice today? Actually, I'm doing it for my own protection. I really don't need a mob of angry fangirls and blistering hate mail for cutting things here. So if you'll just hold your horses, I'll be adding chapter 15 shortly. I'm gonna run along. I love the smell of lemons in springtime!  
**


	15. You've Got A Way

So here it is. Are you ready? Sheesh by the time I got to this chapter I think Eric and Sookie were ready to have my head with all the teasing I'd made them go through. My apologies for any busted up Swedish used in this chapter. I went through Google translate since I didn't have much choice, but the important part is what's in English and you can find that at the end of the chapter, as usual.

Big thanks to **hearttorn** for her help with this chapter long before I even started writing it. We got into a discussion about lemons and she pointed out that in so many AH stories, Sookie loses her virginity to anyone and the pain factor is pretty much nil, which every girl out there knows is _so not the case_. So we did our best to keep it real here. And with a guy like Eric being her first... holy mother. It's a miracle the girl can walk at the end of this chapter, I think.

*dims lights* Enough out of me... on with the show.

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: You've Got A Way**

**SPOV**

Eric's hands on me- and in me- felt natural and wonderful. I'd been in the shower for about two minutes when I decided I didn't want to wait anymore. I was only denying the inevitable, and we'd waited long enough, as far as I was concerned. When I'd told Tara I'd gone on the pill, she'd been concerned and warned me to make sure Eric was really worth it.

She'd told me the story of her first time right after it happened. Mickey hadn't had much consideration for her virgin status and Tara had told me it hurt like hell. She'd told me eventually the pain had gone away, but it took a while. I had no disillusions it wouldn't hurt. I didn't have any basis for comparison but I knew Eric was very much in proportion. Nothing about him was small.

But he'd been gentle and patient with me. I felt my body stretching to take what he offered and it hurt, at first. It was a burning pain that eased slowly and was only made tolerable by the attention he paid to my other parts. I'd felt his fingers curl inside me and I had to choke back a scream. I looked down the length of my body and our eyes locked.

The expression in his eyes was intense. I wanted to look away but couldn't. My orgasm seemed to swallow me whole and left me a panting puddle of goo. I barely felt Eric's kisses as he moved up my body. When he withdrew his fingers, I heard myself whimper at the loss. I wanted more.

As if on instinct, my arms closed around his neck and pulled him down to kiss me. I tasted myself on him and his tongue- oh, that talented tongue- slid expertly against mine. Even with his khaki shorts between us, I felt the twitch of his erection against me.

I pulled my mouth from his and said, "You should get a condom."

I don't think I ever saw Eric move so fast. He dug through his bag in search of the condoms we'd bought. It was slightly amusing to think how we'd "accidentally" wound up walking down that particular aisle. Eric had casually called it to my attention that we were standing in front of a wall of rubbers, as if I hadn't noticed. He'd arched an eyebrow in question. I bit my lower lip and nodded my response. After a few minutes of considering his options, Eric had plucked a box from the wall and dropped it in our cart.

I watched as he located the box that he'd buried in his bag. He pulled a bright blue packet from the box of twelve and left the box on the bed. I watched him unbutton, then unzip, his shorts. It was like the world slowed down a little as the material fell around his ankles. His eyes locked on mine and I saw his hands moving to rid himself of the boxer briefs he was wearing. They were gray.

He came toward me, naked as the day he was born, but I couldn't look anywhere other than his eyes. My heart was racing and breathing was a chore. He climbed on the bed, putting himself in front of my bent knees that were pushed together. Without a word, he ripped open the packet containing the condom and threw the package to the side. Out of my peripheral vision I saw him roll the latex onto himself.

It hit me, then, that it was really going to happen. I was never so happy-scared in my life. I tried not to think about whether or not I'd be any good or how long it would take until the pain went away. My breathing hitched when Eric touched my knees, parting them slowly so he could position himself between them. He sank down slowly, bracing the weight I was anxious to feel on top of me on his elbow instead. His other hand disappeared between us.

His face hovered over mine, his eyes reassuring and heartbreakingly blue. It struck me, for maybe the millionth time, just how beautiful he was.

"Once you start, don't stop." I whispered breathlessly. I was shaking.

"Relax, Älskling," he kissed me sweetly, the tip of his erection hitting my center, making me moan.

I wanted him. I'd wanted him for years. He moved slowly, teasing me just a little until I felt him at my entrance. His lips found mine, distracting me with a kiss that made my toes curl, and then he pushed. I cried out at the pain and felt my body tense up a little.

"Shhh... Älskling, relax." He whispered to me, his voice an anchor when I felt myself drifting away. "Jag kan stå med vikten av världen.På mina kan slåss med den tuffaste av de tuffa. Jag kan skratta i ansiktet. Av alla mina osäkerheter. När som helst, var som helst, vad som helst, Jag är stark när du håller mig så här. Jag är slarvig förlorade i din beröring. Jag är helt försvarslöst.Älskling, det är nästan för är hjälplöst, hopplöst, hänsynslöst förälskelsen. Så låt därför göra vad den kommer till oss. Jag bryr mig inte. Låt stjärnorna stå som vittne till det hela. Säg ordet och kväll jag kommer att följa dig överallt. Jag kan inte låtsas längre. Jag är för kraftig för att falla. För när du håller mig så här. Jag är slarvig förlorade i din beröring. Jag är helt försvarslöst. Älskling, det är nästan för mycket. Jag är hjälplöst, hopplöst, hänsynslöst förälskelsen. Jag är inte rädd. Jag är inte rädd. För när du håller mig så här. Jag är slarvig förlorade i din beröring. Jag är helt försvarslöst. Älskling, det är nästan för mycket. Jag är hjälplöst, hopplöst, hänsynslöst. Hjälplöst, hopplöst, andlöst. Jag är hjälplöst, hopplöst, andlöst förälskelsen."

I had no idea what he was saying but it sounded so beautiful that it helped distract me some (not nearly enough) from the pain. I felt my body burn and stretch to make room for him. The pain ripped through me and tears ran down the side of my face and into my hair. As I'd asked, Eric didn't stop. He advanced inch by painful inch, whispering to me in Swedish as he went. He was as gentle with me as he could be and I tried to let the pain just fall away.

Once he was as deep in me as my body would allow, his other hand appeared and wiped away my tears. He kissed me softly and began to pull out again. I whimpered at the movement, the pain flaring as he pushed back in. Our mouths met again as he slowly thrust in and out. I kept waiting for the pain to recede, but it showed no signs of leaving anytime soon.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, stroking my cheek with the back of his fingers.

I could only nod, and he my mind I was chanting over and over again that I loved him. Loving him was really the only thing that made the pain worth taking. His hand disappeared between us again, his thumb starting to make those same slow circles against my slick skin. Slowly, my body began to respond to his thrusts in spite of the pain. I knew, without a doubt, that once the pain stopped, sex with Eric would feel amazing.

"Sookie, I'm close." His voice was gruff and husky as it grumbled out of him. His words landed hot on my neck.

I knew he was holding back and I loved him for it. His thumb moved faster and with a bit more pressure, urging my body to go over the edge with his. That didn't happen. I felt it when he came, the hot and sticky liquid that shot out of him and pooled in the tip of the condom. He stilled inside of me, his eyes full of bliss and adoration, then quickly turning guilty for not holding out longer. I kissed him to let him know it was okay. I didn't think he was selfish or inconsiderate.

He began to go soft and he pulled out of me. He rolled away and went to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. He came back with a damp washcloth. He sat on the edge of the bed and handed it to me.

I must have looked confused because he said, "In case you want to clean up."

"Oh, right. Thanks." I mumbled, but didn't do anything with the cloth.

"How do you feel?" His warm hand settled on the inside of my knee, his index finger stroking my thigh lightly.

"Sore, mostly." No point in lying about it. It hurt like a son of a bitch.

"Sorry about that."

"It's not your fault." Eric arched an eyebrow and I cracked a small smile. "Okay, so it _is_ your fault, but it's not like there's anything you could have done about it." Eric smiled as well, though I could tell he felt bad for hurting me.

I wanted to ask if I'd done okay, but it seemed tacky. "It won't always hurt like that." He kissed my hand. "Next time will be easier."

"Well, who says there'll be a next time?" I teased, unable to keep a smile from my face. He laughed quietly, the uneasiness between us starting to fade.

Eric shifted on the bed, stretching out beside me and pulled me closer. "We have to do it again."

It was my turn to laugh. "Do we?"

"If memory serves, you didn't-"

"Eric!" I cut him off and slapped at his chest. "Can we _not_ talk about it just yet?"

Eric chuckled at my modesty. In a more serious tone he said, "Fine. So long as you know it's important to me that you get as well as you give. And you gave very well." He kissed my hair.

While it did ease my mind some to know I'd done okay, it was still strange to hear someone praise me for _that_. It would take some time to get used to it. I tossed the washcloth onto the night stand and then pulled the blanket over us. My eyes began to drift closed.

I fell asleep to the sound of Eric's heartbeat.

* * *

**EPOV**

I replayed it all over and over in my mind while Sookie slept on my chest, her limbs tangled with mine. There wasn't a single part of her that wasn't silky smooth. She smelled of soap, sex and me. It was an intoxicating blend. Her hair lightened as it dried and I gently ran my fingers through it. She was perfect.

It had surprised me when Sookie had told me not to stop once I started, although that probably made the most sense. Seeing the pain in her eyes as tears rolled down the side of her face broke my heart a little. I hated to know she was hurting and I was the cause of it, even if it was for a greater good. I did the only thing I could think of to try and ease her pain- I whispered to her in Swedish.

It seemed to help some at first and I wondered if she was trying to work out in her mind what I was saying to her. I told her how beautiful she was and how grateful I was that she was giving me such a wonderful gift. When that seemed to get old, I started to whisper the words of her favorite song to her. She'd never said she was saving herself for me but it had certainly started to feel that way in the last two weeks. I felt like a tool for not having the same will power or conviction she did. There's no way to pay someone back for the sort of gift she was giving me and I told her as much.

I would say it all again in English if she asked me to. I almost told her I loved her, but I didn't want to blurt it out like that while we were having sex. It seemed to corny or cliché and I didn't want Sookie to think it was just hormones getting the better of me. I wanted to say it to her when she didn't expect to hear it. I wanted it to be its own moment. We'd said it in her kitchen that one day, but it was different now. At least for me, it felt different. It was better, stronger.

In some ways it was probably good that I had a bit more experience than she did. I wouldn't have been so aware of how painful it would be for her if I hadn't already been with someone else. I'd learned a bit from Ema and I was thankful for that. I went as slowly with Sookie as I could, not wanting to inflict any more pain than I already was. I didn't want this to be our first and last time.

I could see the effort in her eyes to let the pain fall away from her. She was trying hard to relax and enjoy the experience but the pain was too much. I reminded myself to go easy when I'd start to notice I'd picked up the rhythm a little bit. It was hard not to. She was so hot and tight around me. My brain had to overrule the instinct of my body to go at her harder and faster. I reined myself in, going slowly, trying to coax something other than soreness and pain from her body.

To her credit, her hips did eventually start to rise up off the bed in attempts to meet mine. I could tell by her eyes, though, that she was still hurting. I could feel myself getting closer and closer to the end and I wanted her to feel as good as I was feeling. She was still shaking underneath me, but not like when it was just my fingers inside her. She wasn't writhing in pleasure like she was before. It was more like squirming.

Her fingernails started to dig into my back but I didn't care about that. It was a small price to pay when I considered what it must have been like to be her. She bit her lip, trying not to cry anymore. My mouth met hers and I kept it there for as long as I could. It would give her something else to focus on.

When I knew my orgasm was very close I reached between us to rub her clit, hoping that would stimulate something other than pain. It seemed to help some and she relaxed a little bit more but I was too close to bring her along with me when I came. I felt myself starting to fall on top of her but I was careful not to put too much weight on her. I didn't want to crush her after everything else she'd been through. Her breath was hot and moist on my neck. Her knees squeezed my hips.

Our eyes met and I'm sure I looked dazed and spaced out. When I realized I was the only one feeling that way I felt like a jerk. I felt myself going soft so I pulled out of her and went to the bathroom to get rid of the condom. I noticed just a little bit of blood on it and grimaced. I found a washcloth and wet it down with warm water. I went back to the bed and sat down on the edge of it.

"In case you want to clean up." I offered the cloth to Sookie, who nodded deftly.

"Oh, right. Thanks." She mumbled, staring at the washcloth like she'd never seen one before.

"How do you feel?" I wanted her to say she felt great, wonderful, on top of the world. I knew I wasn't going to hear those words or anything remotely close to them.

"Sore, mostly." She admitted sheepishly but at least she wasn't pissed at me.

"Sorry about that." My hand settled on her knee, my finger stroking her thigh.

"It's not your fault." She gave me a hopeful smile and I looked at her out of the corner of my eyes. "Okay, so it _is _your fault but it's not like you could have done anything about it." That much was true.

Still, I felt bad that she was hurting.

When I'd tried to mention that she hadn't finished properly, she'd cut me off, suddenly embarrassed. Did she think it was _her_ fault? I definitely blamed myself for that. She should have and I should have made sure of it. It was a mistake that wouldn't happen again. I wouldn't be one of those assholes who just took what he wanted and left her wanting more. It was one thing to tease but it was something entirely different not to follow through. I'd promised her it wouldn't happen again and, for good measure, assured her that she'd shown me a good time. I felt her cheek burn against my chest. I'd never realized her blush came with a temperature change until that moment.

We were quiet after that and soon she'd fallen asleep. I let the moments roll around in my head. I closed my eyes and watched it all from start to finish. It was perfect. I didn't regret any of it. I hoped she felt the same way when she woke up. She snuggled against me in her sleep, squeezing me tightly.

"I love you, Sookie." I kissed her forehead and then fell asleep myself.

* * *

**SPOV**

I woke with a dull ache between my legs. It was a reminder I wasn't a virgin anymore. I hadn't dreamed it. I had, in fact, had sex with Eric. I smiled against his skin and then looked up to see he was asleep. As he did in the car, he looked too cute to wake. I careful removed myself from his grasp, intending to let him sleep as long as he wanted. We'd been up late the night before and I was sure we'd be up late again. As much as it had hurt, there was a part of me that ached for him, literally as well as figuratively.

I went to the bathroom to take care of business. That hurt like a mother, too. I knew it would go away in time. At least that was what I kept telling myself as I hobbled around our hotel room. I went to my bag and retrieved my nightgown. I could have walked around the room naked, which was what Eric probably would have preferred, but I didn't quite feel comfortable enough to do that.

I checked my cell phone to find I'd gotten a phone call from home. I'd wait until Eric was awake to call back. If they asked, I'd tell them we were swimming. Thoughts of the hotel's hot tub and pool popped into my head. Maybe soaking in the hot water would help me feel a little better and put sore muscles back to rights. I pulled a bikini out of my bag and put that on instead of my nightgown.

I was just tying the strings around my neck when Eric's eyes fluttered open. "Come back to bed." He groaned, patting the mattress next to him.

I giggled quietly. "Later. I'm going down to the pool for a while, if you want to come with me?"

"That requires clothes, doesn't it?" He almost pouted.

"Barely, but yes." I went over to the bed and sat on the edge of it.

Big hands reached out and pulled me down next to him. I squirmed a little, careful not to knee him anywhere or kick too hard. I ended up on my side with my chest to his back and him nuzzling my neck sleepily. His arms locked around my stomach to hold me in place.

"Eric, come on..." I squirmed. "We need to get out of this bed for just a little while. I think a little hot tub therapy will help."

He sighed against my shoulder. "I'm sorry I hurt you."

How cute was he? When I wiggled to turn to face him, his arms released me just enough for me to do so before closing around my back. We were face to face and there was nothing but apology written all over his sleepy face.

"I'm going to be fine. You really don't have to apologize. I know you're right. Next time won't hurt as much." I kissed him gently.

"I thought you weren't sure about there being a next time?"

"I gave that some thought while I was sleeping." I murmured and reached up to stroke his hair.

"Do tell."

"Well, it wouldn't be fair of me to deny you the pleasure of giving me pleasure, now would it?"

"Not at all." He agreed with a smug smirk.

"Besides, I wouldn't want to disappoint my next boyfriend." I teased.

"Next boyfriend, huh?" He laughed and I was glad we could talk to each other like this and know it was a joke. "Be sure to give Bill my regards."

Oh. Hell. No. "Oh, that's just gross!" I slapped at him, both of us laughing. We wrestled around on the bed, play fighting and enjoying ourselves when the mood suddenly turned.

I felt his fingers going after the strings to untie my bikini and I started squirming again in attempts to get out of his grasp. I found out quickly that naked Eric with me squirming against him was the surest way to end up divested of my clothes. I weighed the options in my head. While hot tub therapy definitely was on the menu for the evening, I opted to go another round with Eric instead. Not only did I want to, but I knew he'd be easier to deal with.

The next thing I knew my bikini pieces were being flung around the room and Eric had grown at least half a dozen hands. At least that's the way it felt. It still hurt the second time around but it wasn't quite as bad. Knowing what to expect made it easier to take. My body responded to Eric's a little quicker than it did the first time. The balance of pleasure and pain was getting closer and closer to being even.

My legs closed around his waist, pulling him closer to me. I groaned with his thrusts, biting my lip when the pain would flare just a little. Like he'd done the first time, he reached between us, stroking me with this thumb to try and keep me on par with him. My breathing hitched again, causing a choked sound to escape my throat. Our eyes met and then locked until he lowered himself to kiss me. I stretched forward to meet him half way, my hands moving from his shoulders to touch his face.

And then, suddenly, there was a shift in the way my body felt. The pain was just about gone, ebbing away with his circle of his thumb and thrust of his hips against mine. I cried out at the realization and Eric stilled cautiously, pulling his face from mine.

"Did I hurt you?" He looked scared.

"No." I smiled and pulled his face to mine. "It feels good." I whispered, staring up into his eyes. Ugh, so blue, so beautiful. My heart swelled in an almost painful way. "I love you."

I barely got the words out before his mouth attacked mine. He started moving inside me again and I couldn't help but throw my head back against the pillows and smile with relief. Eric moved just a little bit faster without me having to tell him and before long, I was the one whispering that I was close. Since he wasn't willing to rock the boat and take the chance that he might hurt me, Eric kept on doing what he was doing.

I cried out in a voice that didn't quite sound like my own, his name tumbling from my lips as my walls starts to clamp down around him. His voice was gravely and low in response and I'd never heard anyone say my name the way he did when he came. He collapsed against me, both of us breathing hard and a little sweatier than when we'd started. We plastered kisses on each other's faces, shoulders and necks while we waited for our hearts to resume a regular rhythm.

The way he looked at me was so intense. I could tell he wanted to say something but couldn't quite find the right words. I knew the feeling, since I was stuck in pretty much the same gear as he was. He brushed away the hair that had matted itself to my forehead, smiling down on me. He rolled off of me and disappeared into the bathroom again. We really needed to put a trash can closer to the bed.

I laid there watching him move around the room. He was so comfortable with himself. "You'd walk around naked all the time if you could, wouldn't you?" I propped my head up on my elbow.

"I would. Nudity isn't frowned upon in Scandinavia the way it is here."

"So you walk around the house naked when you're at home?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"No, but I have gone skinny dipping." He grinned at me.

I laughed and watched him climb over me so he could snuggle next to me in the giant bed. He pulled me close to him so that he was almost on top of me again. I didn't mind it one bit. He traced shapes and lines on my stomach, making my skin break out in goose bumps.

"I bet you have." I smiled over at him, our faces just inches apart.

"We should do that this summer." His eyes lit up at the prospect.

"I don't think so, mister." I laughed, lifting my leg to rest it over the back of his. "Nice girls don't do that sort of thing."

Eric laughed and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "But they give handjobs in the woods?" I blushed and opened my mouth to respond but he kissed me instead. "Not that I'm complaining, mind you."

We laid there kissing for a while and before we could get started on a third round, I forced myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. I had serious sex hair when I caught my reflection in the mirror. A stupid smile spread across my face. I couldn't remember ever being quite that happy.

* * *

Helplessly Hopelessly Recklessly by Jessica Andrews

_I can stand with the weight of the world on my shoulders._

_I can fight with the toughest of the tough._

_I can laugh in the face of all my insecurities._

_Anytime, anywhere, anything, I'm strong enough._

_But when you're holding my like this,_

_I'm carelessly lost in your touch._

_I'm completely defenseless._

_Baby, it's almost too much._

_I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly falling in love._

_So let consequence do what it will to us_

_I don't care._

_Let the stars stand as witness to it all._

_Say the word and tonight I will follow you anywhere._

_I just can't pretend anymore._

_I'm too sturdy to fall._

_'Cause when you're holding me like this_

_I'm carelessly lost in your touch._

_I'm completely defenseless._

_Baby, it's almost too much._

_I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly falling in love._

_I am not afraid._

_I am not afraid._

_'Cause when you're holding me like this,_

_I'm carelessly lost in your touch._

_I'm completely defenseless._

_Baby, it's almost too much._

_I'm helplessly, hopelessly, recklessly_

_Falling..._

_(Helplessly, hopelessly, breathlessly)_

_I'm helplessly, hopelessly, breathlessly falling in love._

**Okay, so who wants an Eric of their very own to take home now? How cute is he for whispering all that to Sookie? FYI, that is one of my favorite songs. It's so beautiful. If this site wasn't such a clusterfuck for links, I'd put one in my profile so you could go download it. **

**Okay, enough out of me. Review, my loves! Thanks for reading!**


	16. The Best Part Of Waking Up

I'm so happy to see that the lemons of last chapter went over so well! About time, huh? I know, I know. So since we've hit that milestone in Eric and Sookie's relationship, there's another we have to stumble over and it's one that Eric has been waiting for. Got any guesses? Don't worry, my pretties, you'll find out in this chapter. There's also a fun appearance by some of our other SVM friends I think y'all will enjoy.

Thanks to **hearttorn** for her wicked sweet beta skills. Per her request after beta'ing this chapter, I owe her a lil sumthin, sumthin. She knows what but the rest of you will just have to wait. Perhaps there need to be outtakes? *strokes imaginary beard*

**I do not own any of these characters but they partied like natives when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last night. It's totes true! I saw 'em.**

**

* * *

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**Chapter Sixteen: The Best Part of Waking Up**

**EPOV**

Sookie was able to talk me into leaving our room for a while. We spent some time in the pool, floating and playing around before going over to the hot tub. I could tell by the way she was walking she wasn't quite as pain-free as she wanted me to think she was, but I admired her for putting on a brave face. When we'd had our fill of the pool we went back to our room. I wanted to follow her into the shower but I restrained myself. There was plenty of time for that later.

While I was in the shower she microwaved our dinner and set our wake up call for the morning. Check out time was noon, but we were planning to be on the road long before then. According to the directions we'd pulled on-line, it was supposed to take us roughly nine hours to get to Bottomless Lake State Park, just outside of Roswell, New Mexico. We were planning to camp there for a night or two, depending on how much we liked it. It was nice to be able to change up our plans if we decided we wanted to skip a location or we wanted to stay longer somewhere.

We had reservations at a hotel in Las Vegas on the eighteenth, so as long as we got there on time, we could play the rest by ear. I was excited about seeing the Grand Canyon and I knew Sookie was as well. It was nice that we would both be seeing these places with our own eyes for the first time together. I found myself looking forward to the expression on her face when she saw a place for the first time. She was always beautiful, in my opinion, but never more so than when she was genuinely excited about something.

I emerged from the bathroom to find Sookie checking her email on my laptop and chewing on her sandwich. She looked up from the screen and smiled at me. She was already in her nightgown. By nightgown, I mean an oversized t-shirt that barely reached her thighs. For her sake I put on a pair of boxers.

"I made you one, too." Sookie pointed to a plate sitting on the dresser.

"Thanks." I stooped to kiss the top of her head.

"I got an email from Arlene. She wants me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding." Sookie shook her head.

I cringed on her behalf, picturing her in some hideous dress the color of grass. If it didn't work on Arlene, it definitely wouldn't work on Sookie. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Sookie sighed and said, "Clearly you've never been asked to be a bridesmaid before."

"You have?" That was surprising.

"You mean you forgot the watermelon dress?" Sookie giggled and I cringed again.

"That thing was hideous." I shook my head, recalling a wedding Sookie had stood up in for a friend of her mother's when we were about twelve. It was a hideous dress that was a strange shade of pink with black beading on it. As soon as I'd gotten the picture Sookie sent me, I had dubbed it the 'watermelon dress'.

"I think I still have that dress in the back of my closet." Sookie confessed.

"Good. If we run out of kindling for our next bonfire, at least we'll have something to burn." I wasn't even close to joking.

"It wasn't that bad." Sookie shrugged.

"Yes, it was." I took a bite of my sandwich.

"So I guess black and pink are out when we get married, huh?" The words just came out of Sookie's mouth. Almost immediately she realized what she'd said and looked at me anxiously. "I mean...well, you know..." She trailed off.

"I know what you mean, Älskling." If it had been any other girl talking about marriage, I probably would have taken that as a cue to run screaming from the room. Hearing Sookie mention it didn't bother me. It didn't make me want it, exactly, but it didn't scare me shitless, either.

There was an email from Michele thanking us for the pictures from Arlington Stadium and reminding us we could come back any time if we decided we didn't want to spend the summer driving from place to place. Sookie checked Facebook and updated her status to let her friends know we'd reached Dallas safely.

"Should I shut it down, or do you need to check in anywhere?" Sookie glanced over her shoulder.

"No, I'm good." I took a big drink of the Gatorade Sookie had left out for me with the sandwich.

She shut down the computer and cleaned up what little mess there was from dinner before putting the computer away in it's travel bag. She stretched out on the bed behind me, her legs crossing at her ankles. She reached over to the night stand and grabbed her hairbrush to attack her hair while I finished eating. I turned on the television and began flipping through the channels to see if there was a movie on we could watch.

We ended up watching Jurassic Park, which I hadn't seen before. Sookie insisted it was a good movie. "Jason was obsessed with dinosaurs when we were little. "I think he watched this movie every day for about three months before the tape just _happened_ to go missing," Sookie giggled as I moved to sit beside her.

"Was it ever found?"

Sookie cackled and said, "Yeah, Jason dug it up by mistake when he went to bury a hamster that died. Someone took a hammer to it."

I couldn't help but laugh right along with her. "I'm guessing that wasn't your handy work?"

"My money's on Mom, but she's never confessed." Sookie set her brush down on the night stand.

Her hair was shiny and soft as she rested her head on my shoulder. She snuggled closer to me and draped an arm over my stomach. She fell asleep before me but I wasn't far behind her. When I woke up sometime later in the night the tv was turned off and Sookie was sleeping curled on her side next to me. I turned to my right and pulled her closer. She mumbled something in her dreams that I couldn't quite make out. I pressed my hand to her stomach and went back to sleep.

* * *

**SPOV**

It was just barely light outside when I woke up. I'd fallen asleep before the movie ended, but I didn't think Eric cared all that much. I certainly knew how the movie was going to end. I wasn't a bit sorry when Jason's copy of Jurassic Park went missing. I was getting pretty sick of hearing the roar of dinosaurs myself by the time it disappeared. Although the look on his face when he found the pieces of the tape in the backyard was pretty priceless.

I slipped out of bed and went to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and took care of business before going back to bed. Eric was flat on his back, his left arm flung out to the side. I climbed in beside him but kept my head on my own pillow. I'd slept on him enough. His right arm had to be dead from being used as a pillow for the better part of the night. I let my eyes drift closed, knowing there would only be so much time before we got our wake up call.

The next thing I knew warm fingers were making their way under my nightgown, feeling around and exploring my skin. I smiled faintly before my eyes even opened. Eric whispered a good morning to me and kissed my neck. Who needs a shrill phone call when you can have a very sexy Swede wake you in a much gentler fashion?

"Good morning." My eyes fluttered open, my heart speeding up when Eric's fingers made contact with my breasts.

"This is the best way to start the day." He murmured against my skin and shifted his body so he was on top of me.

"Do I get a vote?"

"Of course." He pulled my shirt up over my head and threw it on the floor.

Part of me wanted to ask if this was how it was going to be from now on. Would everything just be filler until we could have sex again? Not that the idea of sex was already boring to me, but I didn't want that to be the mainstay of our relationship. I told myself it was natural to want to make up for lost time and that this urgency we felt for one another would fade, in time. We were just excited by one another. This was new. We were supposed to want to be together all the time.

"You're thinking too much." Eric smiled at me.

"How do you know?"

"Because you get this look in your eyes."

I bit back a smile. "You shouldn't know that yet."

"But I do. I've seen it on your face on the webcam chats many times." He rolled us over, pulling me on top of him instead.

"Does it bother you that I think?"

"It's one of your most endearing qualities, Älskling." His hands cupped my breasts, kneading them gently in his large palms.

"How'd you sleep?" I had a pretty good idea, based on the part of him that refused to lay still behind me.

"Like a rock, actually." Interesting choice of words.

I moved myself backwards a bit. "So I noticed." I traced his very well defined stomach muscles. I wondered if I could grate cheese on them.

"You talk in your sleep sometimes."

"Do I? What did I say?"

"I don't know. I couldn't quite make it out." His voice had become lower as it seemed to do when there was sex on the horizon.

"You suck your cheeks in your sleep. Not all the time, but sometimes. It's cute."

"Spend a lot of time watching me sleep, do you?"

"You sleep a lot." I shrugged.

My hips started moving of their own accord and I found myself on my back quicker than I could blink. Eric's mouth replaced his hands on my breasts, paying them what I considered to be more than ample homage, before moving down my body. He slid off my underwear and those disappeared over the side of the mattress. There was still a dull ache from the day before, but it wasn't nearly as unpleasant as it had been just twelve hours ago.

He proved to me once again how talented and considerate he was. His mouth, tongue and fingers worked together in perfect harmony and I was considering nicknaming them the holy trinity. I called out to God more than once before I heard the telltale ripping sound of a condom being opened. I closed my eyes in a dreamy sort of way as my body recovered from my first orgasm of the day. I was fairly certain it wasn't going to be the last.

Eric was able to enter me a little more fluidly than he had the day before, but he still took his time. He patiently waited for my body to adjust to his invasion before pulling out and thrusting back in. I winced once or twice, but it wasn't really painful. It was just a very tight fit. I wondered how much of a difference that really made. Eric pushed my knees up closer to my chest, changing the angle of his thrusts.

It amazed me how something so small could have such a big effect on the way everything felt. It felt damn good. "Faster," I breathed, my hands holding him by his sides.

He eagerly complied but was careful not to go too fast. On instinct my hips moved to meet his. Part of me wondered why I had waited so long to do this, while most of me was glad I had waited for Eric. He was certainly worth the wait. His breath was hot and warm on my neck. He covered me in open mouth kisses that trailed from my jaw to my collarbone and back again before his mouth met mine. We breathed against each other as my orgasm got closer and closer.

"Faster," I breathed again, my hands moving down his sides, trying to pull him deeper inside of me.

He groaned against me, his thrusts intensifying just a little bit. He surprised me when he pulled me up off the mattress so that I was braced against his thighs. Our eyes met and at first, I didn't know what to do. I ended up wrapping my arms around his neck for leverage as I did my best to move up and down on him. The new angle found him hitting a spot inside me that had me writhing against him in no time.

"Ah! Eric, I'm close!" I was trying not to scream.

His hand moved between us while the other was wrapped around my lower back. He rubbed more of those magic circles around me and I saw little bursts of color behind my eyes as my walls started clamping down on his again. Purely on reflex, I bit his shoulder. It wasn't hard enough to draw blood, but I bit him all the same. He growled and with three more relatively hard thrusts, his own orgasm exploded.

We both dropped down onto the bed just as the wake up call ripped through the room.

* * *

**EPOV**

Talking ourselves out of bed wasn't easy. We looked back at the bed longingly before leaving the room for good. Room 637 had been very good to us. We were sorry to leave it. We stowed our things in the car and then went to take advantage of the continental breakfast before checking out. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from but Sookie's face lit up when she saw waffles. It was like she'd won the lottery. I settled for cereal and fruit. We took our time eating and then checked out.

We were on the road before nine. Sookie sat beside me with her feet propped up on the dashboard, her toes wiggling along with the music we were listening to. She didn't complain once about the fact that a great deal of what was on my iPod was in a language she didn't understand. She was more tolerant than me. She reclined her seat a little and looked out the sunroof, watching the puffs of white clouds as we sped through a very rural part of Texas. We would be hitting desert soon enough.

We planned a stop in Sweetwater to refuel and stretch our legs. Sookie offered to switch places with me but I was enjoying the driving. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed being behind the wheel. She went to the bathroom while I filled the tank. The station we'd stopped at was one of those old ones that looked like it had been built in the early twentieth century and hadn't been updated since perhaps the 1960s. I had to go inside to pay. In cash.

The girl behind the counter couldn't have been much older than Sookie. Her hair was brown and cut short. She had a friendly smile and a face that clearly broadcasted her emotions. She was dressed like a soccer mom. She looked me up and down, scrutinizing me in a way that seemed pretty common for citizens of small towns. She started at my feet and gulped when she got to my face. I smiled at her for her trouble.

"H-hi!" She waved nervously from her perch behind the counter.

"Hi." I walked toward her.

"You aren't from 'round here."

"No, no, I'm definitely not." I stopped at the counter and was thankful to see Sookie coming from around the side of the building.

"That your girlfriend?" Soccer Mom asked as Sookie came towards the door.

Was Sookie my girlfriend? "Yes, she is." Decision made.

Soccer Mom's face fell. "She's a lucky girl."

"I'll tell her you said so." As the fates would have it Sookie walked into the small general store that looked like it had been updated back in the 60's.

"Honey," she'd started calling me that before we got out of bed that morning, "We're almost out of Gatorade. You want more?"

"We don't carry that," Soccer Mom offered up.

"Oh." Sookie pouted from the coolers in the back.

"But we got the fixin's for Kool-Aide if y'all are interested?"

I looked to Sookie since I had no idea what Soccer Mom was talking about. "Um, no, thanks, that's okay." Sookie spoke politely.

"Most folks 'round these parts drink iced tea, beer and whiskey." Soccer Mom explained to me.

Sookie grabbed something out of the cooler and then walked up behind me. She dropped a few bottles of water on the counter and proceeded to wrap herself around me. I got the distinct impression she was marking her territory. Soccer Mom glared at her but rang up our purchases.

"We'll get your drinks when we stop in Tatum." Sookie smiled up at me.

"Water will be fine in the meantime." I squeezed her.

Soccer Mom looked like she was going to be sick from the cuteness. "That'll be fifty-eight dollars."

I paid the woman. I noticed, for the first time, that she was wearing a wedding ring. Maybe I hadn't been too off in my soccer mom estimation after all. Both Sookie's and my head turned when we heard someone rattling around in the back.

"That's just Bob." Soccer Mom said with disgust. "Pay him no mind."

"Bob?"

"My husband, of course." Soccer Mom looked at us like we should know her life story. "We had us something hot and heavy in high school, complete with a shotgun wedding just after graduation. Only I lost the baby. Since then we ain't been hot but Bob sure got heavy."

Sookie laughed and then bit her cheeks when Soccer Mom gave her a dirty look for it. "Sorry to hear that. I guess we'll be going now." I figured it was better to end the encounter than drag it out. Soccer Mom looked like she was about to ask us to take her with.

"It was nice meeting you." Sookie gave her prettiest smile and then took my hand as we walked out the door.

We weren't even in the car when we heard shouting coming from inside. I shook my head and went around to the driver's seat while Sookie arranged the new water bottles in the cooler. When we stopped in Tatum, we were going to need to get fresh ice. We were back on the road soon enough, watching ranches and houses whip past as we flew down the relatively empty highway. We were in pickup truck country. I hadn't seen a smaller vehicle in almost fifty miles.

Sookie's eyelids began to droop a little while later. She leaned over in her seat to kiss my cheek. "I'm gonna get some sleep. Wake me up when we get to Tatum?"

"Enjoy your nap." I smiled over at her. She grabbed my hand and fell asleep.

The sky started to darken some as we got closer to the border of New Mexico. We had just crossed it when the sky opened up. I hurried to close the sunroof and flip on the air conditioning. We were trying to use it sparingly to cut back on the amount of gas we had to buy. Not to mention, the heat kept Sookie in short shorts and little dresses. She was curled beside me in a little dress with a pair of cowboy boots on the floor. Her hair hung around her shoulders in waves. It was already lighter than when I'd first arrived almost three weeks before. She was beautiful.

When we got to Tatum I unbuckled my seat belt and lifted the arm rest between us. "Sookie," I whispered her name and kissed her forehead. "Sookie, wake up."

"Mmmm." She groaned in protest.

"We're in Tatum." I kissed her again.

"Already?"

"Yep."

I waited for her to open her eyes. When she said she surprised me by saying, "You were right this morning. The way I woke up earlier was definitely better."

I grinned at her and said, "You can have that every morning if you want."

"Promise?"

"Oh, yes." I nodded emphatically, making her giggle.

She pulled me close to really kiss me. She cut it off before it could get out of hand. "I have to go pee again."

I snickered and watched her go. We were below a half a tank and I figured it was probably better to fill up again. I didn't want to get stuck in the desert any more than Sookie did. So I filled the tank for the second time and went inside to find Sookie milling around the cooler section looking for Gatorade. When she found it she pulled one of each flavor from the cooler, skipping the grape. I hated grape.

"Can I get a key to the ladies' room?" Sookie smiled brightly at the guy behind the counter.

"Sure can, little lady." The guy produced a giant keyring and handed it over to Sookie.

"Thanks." She grinned at him and then scampered out around to the side of the building.

"She's a pretty little thing."

"She is." I agreed. She was more than that but I saw no reason to discuss it with the hick behind the counter.

"Got a nice rack on her." He said with appreciation. My inner caveman wanted to punch first and ask questions later. Instead I stayed quiet. "Those store bought or home grown?"

"Excuse me?" I made sure my voice was a bit harder than usual.

Apparently the redneck didn't seem to notice. "I hate fake tits, but she's got a nice ass on her, too."

Unbelievable.

I was just paying the man behind the counter when Sookie came back. "Thanks, mister." She handed over the keyring. He was immediately eyeballing her chest.

"Not a problem, miss." He nodded to her, his eyes never leaving her 'nice rack'.

Sookie cleared her throat in hopes of getting his attention to settle elsewhere. That didn't happen. "So, um, how far to Roswell?"

"You folks chasing aliens?"

"No, just passing through on our way to the Grand Canyon."

The guy behind the counter snorted his disgust. "I been there. It ain't so great. Just a hole in the world."

Sookie bit her lip, trying to keep her temper in check. I had yet to see her go off completely on someone but I'd gotten a taste of it when she'd argued with Hadley. I had a feeling it wouldn't be pretty if we ever really got into it.

"I'd say your about four hours southeast of Roswell. Depending on the weather you might make better time." His eyes were back on my girlfriend's rack. I decided if he made one unsavory remark in her direction, I would let my inner caveman get what it wanted, to hell with the consequences from Sookie.

"Great. That's just great." She smiled broadly. "Well, honey, we should get back on the road."

I grunted my response, staring down the guy behind the counter who seemed to have a bigger fascination with Sookie's breasts than I did. Sookie grabbed the bag of Gatorade and pulled me out of the store. We ran to the car which inadvertently gave the creep behind the counter a free show. I went straight to the passenger's seat to keep myself from going back inside to punch him.

"What's your problem?" Sookie asked once she was behind the wheel. She adjusted the seat, pulling it way closer to the wheel than I would ever need.

"I didn't like the way he was looking at you."

Sookie laughed and turned toward me. I didn't see the humor in the situation. She only did because she hadn't heard what he said while she was in the bathroom.

"You don't need to be jealous, Eric. It's not like I was thinking of trading you in." She winked at me.

"I'm not jealous. That guy is a pig."

"Because he was staring at my boobs? You stare at them all the time, don't think I don't notice."

"It's different and you know it."

"I don't want to fight." She started the car.

"I don't either." I looked out the window.

Silence mounted between us and for the next forty miles, neither of us said a word.

* * *

**SPOV**

I wasn't sure what had crawled up Eric's ass and died. Everything had been fine when I'd fallen asleep after our stop in Sweetwater. He'd woken me nicely when we got to Tatum. We were fine when we walked into the store but we weren't when we walked out. I tried to figure out where the shift had taken place. After about forty miles of silence I gave up trying to figure it out. Something must have happened while I was in the bathroom.

"So do you want to tell me what that clerk said to get you all uppity?" I asked in exasperation, which probably wasn't the right way to go about it.

Eric gave me the closest I'd ever seen to a dirty look. "I'm not being uppity."

"You haven't said anything for forty miles!"

"Neither have you."

We were arguing like little kids. Rain poured down around us. The windshield wipers were going as fast as they could go. This didn't bode well for two people who planned on camping for the next two nights. As if the rain wouldn't be bad enough, the fighting would make the already small tent seem positively tiny.

"I'm not the one who got in the car in a huff." Mature, I know.

"Can we just drop it?" Eric sighed.

"Why won't you just tell me what the hell happened while I was in the bathroom?" I had only been gone for two minutes. What could have happened in those two minutes that Eric was in such a mood. It had to be something other than the clerk behind the counter staring at me like I was a last meal to a dying man.

"Just forget about it, Sookie. It doesn't matter." Eric turned his body away from me.

"Oh, well that's just great! Is this how it's going to be every time we argue? Are we just going to run away from each other when bad things happen? You've always told me the truth, Eric." I reminded him.

But then that wasn't entirely true. He'd always told me what I needed to know. He'd kept a few secrets, three I could think of off the top of my head, but he'd done so to protect me. Frankly, I still didn't understand why he'd felt the need to keep his girlfriends a secret. Is that what I'd be when he got back home? Would I be just another one of his secrets?

"Eric, talk to me." I insisted, but he kept quiet.

I growled in frustration. If the weather hadn't been so bad I probably would have pulled to the side of the road so I could get out of the car and scream at the top of my lungs. Instead I changed the playlist I had going to the most twangy country music in my collection and I turned the volume up. That got Eric's attention. He glared at me in retaliation for my immaturity.

We made it another twenty miles before Eric had had enough. He reached over and unplugged my iPod. "What the hell?" I glared at him.

I made a rookie mistake and my hands followed the direction of my eyes. The next thing I knew the car was spinning in circles in the middle of a rain-soaked empty highway. I screamed in total terror, afraid that the car might flip over thanks to the high speed and the fact that it was an SUV. Eventually the car came to a stop and I had no idea which direction we were pointed in.

My heart was in my throat and I was having a hard time breathing. It wasn't until I opened my eyes that I realized Eric was holding my hand. As angry as we were at one another (for reasons I still didn't quite understand), his first instinct had been to grab my hand. My chest heaved as I caught my breath. Eric recovered much quicker than I did. He let go of my hand and got out of the car. The rain didn't seem to bother him. I sat there for a moment, debating whether or not I should follow him.

Then he screamed. He did exactly what I'd wanted to do twenty miles before. He just looked up to sky and let it all out. I put the emergency lights on and slid over to the passenger's side to get out of the car. Eric was still screaming, his face red and strained.

"Eric?" I reached out to touch his shoulder and he flinched away from me.

"Let's just go." Eric shook his head.

"No. Eric! We need to figure this out. Whatever the hell is bothering you-"

"That clerk said some things about you while you were in the bathroom. I'm not going to repeat them because they were degrading and disgusting. I'm sure you can figure it out since you saw the way he was looking at you." Eric was staring off into the distance but I nodded anyway. I'd seen. It was hard to avoid eyes staring that hard at my chest. Not even Eric had leered at me like that. "I wanted to hit him for looking at you like that. No, actually, I wanted to beat the hell out of him for it. The problem is, guys are always going to look at you that way because you're young, beautiful and the sexiest woman I've ever seen. Guys are going to want you and in a few weeks I won't be here to make sure they don't touch you when you don't want them to."

Oh.

I didn't know what the appropriate response to that was so I just reached out and took his hand. Maybe I didn't need to say anything. Maybe I just needed to be there to hear him say it. I tugged on his hand until he turned toward me. There was sadness written all over his face. I felt a little bit of relief to know I wasn't going to be the only one who didn't want him to leave. I hadn't realized he'd done much thinking on the topic. I'd tried to push it into the corners of my mind to think about later, even though we would eventually run out of later.

I opened my mouth to speak but Eric lowered himself to kiss me instead. It was one of those makeup apology kisses that had every cell in my body sitting up and begging for more. I found myself backed up against the side of the SUV. My dress was soaked through. Eric's hands were on my breasts and drifting down toward my hips. I felt the urge to just tear off all my clothes and have really hot makeup sex with him right there on the side of the road in a thunderstorm in the middle of the desert. When would I ever get that chance again?

Unfortunately, lights appeared and my car was in the middle of the road. Eric set me down and I ran over to the driver's side. He jumped in the passenger's seat and I pulled the car over to the side of the road. The truck that was headed our way, stopped along side us.

"You having engine trouble?" The driver shouted down at Eric.

"No, we just spun out. We'll be fine." Eric assured him.

"Alright. Drive safe!" The truck driver tipped his John Deere hat toward us and then shifted gears to be on his way.

Eric put his window up and turned toward me. "I need to change clothes."

We both did. Watching Eric attempt to get dressed in the confines of my car would be interesting, to say the least. It took some creative organizing but I managed to clear some space in the back seat so I could change my clothes. Eric watched me strip down in the rearview mirror and I winked at him when I caught him looking. Apparently, that was all the invitation he needed because the next thing I knew, he was climbing into the back seat with me.

* * *

**Yep, I'm the devil for cutting you off right there. I know, I know. I've heard it all before. I refuse to apologize for it either. I'll be posting again tomorrow, so don't get yourself too worked up over it *sticks out tongue***

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	17. Cold Desert

**XANDER:** (_back to talking normally_) Where is he? Where's the creep that turned me into his spider-eating man-bitch?  
**BUFFY:** He's gone.  
**XANDER:** Dammit! You know what? I'm sick of this crap. I'm sick of being the guy who eats insects and gets the funny syphilis. As of this moment, it's over. **_I'm finished being everybody's butt-monkey!_**

_Giles, Riley, and Buffy nod and try to look solemn. _

**BUFFY:** Check. No more butt-monkey.  
**RILEY:** It coulda been worse. At least you weren't making time with the dracu-babes like Giles here.  
**GILES:** I was not making time! I, I was, uh, just about to kill those, uh, loathsome creatures when Riley interrupted me. (_Wrapping his torn shirt around himself_)  
** Riley:** (_grinning_) You were gonna nuzzle 'em to death?

No, you didn't click on the wrong link. Just thought I'd share one of my most favorite Buffy scenes of all time with you because it makes me giggle like a jack ass. Oh, Buffy, how I'z miss you *le sigh* On a happier note, Eric has been chattering in my ear all afternoon. He and Sookie have been giving each other the death glare over another project and I am THISCLOSE to locking them in a closet so they can fight it out viking/peasant style. Eric becomes rather cantankerous when Sookie isn't giving it up on a regular basis and she's no walk in the park either.

Thanks to the wicked awesome **hearttorn** for her wicked awesome beta skills. She rocks my socks.

**I do not own any of these characters, but anytime Joss or Charlaine want to sign 'em over, I'm game.**

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**Chapter Seventeen: Cold Desert**

**EPOV**

I'd had sex in the back of a car before. What teenager doesn't, at some point? But I'd never had makeup sex in the back seat of a car before. In that regard, Sookie was my first. She was also the first in the sense that I actually, really cared about her. I cared about her long before I even knew what sex really was. I knew it was how babies were made but I didn't understand its significance in a relationship. I felt fortunate that sex had only seemed to bring us closer to each other, and for all the right reasons.

I was also fortunate that I'd had the forethought to put a condom in my wallet so I wouldn't have to go digging through my bag to find one. That would have killed the moment. Sookie looked a little nervous about being the one on top since we hadn't really done that yet, but there wasn't much of an alternative given the cramped space we were working with. She lowered herself onto me slowly, her eyes getting wider the deeper inside her I got. I felt my eyes roll in the back of my head. I'd never felt the things I felt with her with anyone else.

She rotated her hips and my lips crashed against hers. If she was in any sort of pain, she didn't let it show. We moved quickly. At least much faster than we had before. There was urgency and a need to feel that connection to each other. It was the closest I'd come to fucking her. In fact, it was the first time I realized there was a difference.

She nibbled my bottom lip while her fingers raked my chest. I held her hips, bucking up against her. She let out a strangled cry and buried her face in the crook of my neck, kissing and sucking the skin she found there. She moved my hands from her hips to her breasts and bit then bit my earlobe. I wasn't prepared for the words that left her mouth.

"Fuck me," She whispered in my ear and I almost came right then. I growled and picked up the pace just a little, hitting her deeper. "Oh, God, Eric!" Her voice got higher and higher as little spasms shook her inside. "Oh, fuck!"

That did it.

She collapsed against me, her tight, hot center squeezing me as she caught her breath. We kissed our way through aftershocks before she started to laugh with a dazed expression on her face.

"That was..." She trailed off, unable to find the right words.

"Amazing." Was the only word I could find.

She licked her lips and nodded slowly, her eyes still a bit starry. "If that's what happens when we fight..." She laughed quietly, unable to finish that sentence either.

"I'll be looking forward to the next one, too." I held her face as I kissed her.

We reluctantly pulled apart and got ourselves dressed. Sookie got back in the driver's seat. The windows were all fogged up. She turned off the air conditioning long enough to clear the windows. By then, I was dressed and in the front seat next to her. She checked the compass Corbett had given her to make sure we were going the right direction. She had to turn the car around, but then we were back on our way. About ten miles ahead, the rain slowed down. Ten miles after that we were driving under clear skies. I hoped the storm wasn't chasing us.

We arrived at the state park just after six. We were both starving, having only snacked along the way. We were given a map marked with our campsite for the next two days. Bottomless Lakes State Park was a series of lakes. According to the brochures we were given, I learned it was the first state park in New Mexico and had been founded in 1933. Sookie pulled the car into the campsite we'd been assigned to. There was no one else around.

She wiggled her eyebrows at me and I found myself wondering if we were going to have enough condoms to get us through the next two days. We should have bought more while we were in Dallas. We were twelve miles outside of Roswell, though, so I wasn't worried we'd have a hard time finding a larger store to shop in. We got out of the car, both of us thankful we wouldn't have to do much driving - for the next thirty-six hours, at least.

Together we unloaded the necessary gear from the back of the SUV, starting with the tent. Setting it up wasn't too difficult but I didn't want to do it in the dark. I was, however, a bit nervous at the prospect of one of us having to leave to go shopping or something. I didn't want to leave our stuff in the tent, nor did I want to leave Sookie alone in the desert. That just seemed like asking for trouble.

We got the tent set up and then Sookie built a fire while I got the grill going. I was crouched over the grill, waiting for it to heat up when Sookie came up behind me and started rubbing my shoulders. She bent to kiss the top of my head before moving her hands up my neck and into my hair to scratch lightly at my scalp.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I meant to say that before but I was a little speechless." She whispered in my ear.

"You don't need to apologize. I was being a dick. I should have just said what was bothering me. I just hate it when you're sad or upset."

"That's life, Eric. I get sad and upset all the time. You can't shelter me from all of it no matter how hard you try."

She didn't mention that I would be the cause of some major sadness in a few months but we both knew it was just around the corner. It occurred to me then that it might be a good time to mention that I was in love with her but decided, once again, that I would wait. Telling her that right after an apology just seemed fake.

Sookie went to get hot dogs out of the cooler. I stood up to stretch and ended up pulling off the t-shirt I was wearing. If ever there was a place to run around naked, this was it. Although I suppose the park officials would probably disagree with me. Americans were so uptight about all of that.

"So what would it take to convince you to go skinny dipping with me?" I asked when Sookie came back.

"I don't think they allow that here." Sookie smirked at me.

"So?"

"So I don't want to get run out of a state park because you couldn't keep your shorts on. Besides, I wouldn't think you'd want other people ogling my goodies."

"I don't." I smirked at her. "But it would just be you and me."

Sookie rolled her eyes. "It's not happening, Eric. The only skinny dipping we'll be doing together is in a bath tub."

"Las Vegas." I grinned at her.

"Maybe." She blushed and avoided my eyes.

"Well, if I can't marry you there I think fucking you in a bathtub is an acceptable substitute." We'd both made off-handed comments about marriage. Much like I'd done for her the day before in Dallas, she let my comment slide.

"Who said anything about fucking?" She snorted.

I grabbed her around her waist and pulled her close to me. "You have a dirty mouth, Miss Stackhouse."

Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to argue with me until I whispered in her ear to remind her of what she'd said in the back seat of her car just an hour and a half before. She giggled quietly and looked me right in the eyes.

"I'm not a saint, you know. I can say dirty words. I just choose not to. It sounds uneducated and I'm a lady." She winked at me.

"A lady who enjoys fucking her boyfriend in the back of a car." Did I just call myself her boyfriend. She caught it, too.

"So you're my boyfriend, huh?" Her arms went around my neck. That was a good sign, right? Unless, of course she was planning on kneeing me in the balls. I guess I'd have my answer if she did.

"Does it bother you?"

She quirked up her eyebrow in exaggeration and then smiled, drawing me down to her so her lips were close to my ear. "Actually," she whispered, her breath warm against my ear. "It sort of makes me want to fuck you all over again."

Dead. I had to be dead. Or maybe I was a puddle? Words were lost to me. It was stunning how often she did that to me. Since I had nothing we ended up making out again. She released me and forced me to go make her dinner.

"Your girlfriend is hungry." She winked at me and then went back to the car to get the sleeping bags.

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**SPOV**

"Okay, so I had an idea." I turned onto my stomach beside Eric.

"Let's hear it." Eric turned onto his side and propped his head up on his right hand, his left one slowly trailing up and down my spine, giving me chills.

I bit back a smile and said, "Well, I was thinking about what it's going to be like after you go home. I try not to think about it because... well, I think you know why."

"Yes, I know why." He smiled sadly at me.

"I was thinking maybe we could make some sort of standing date one day a week. Like, no matter what we have going on we stop what we're doing so we can talk. I mean, we can still exchange emails whenever and we can talk whenever we want but we make it a point to make sure we catch up on a certain day at a certain time."

"I like that idea." Eric nodded as his fingers started to trace shapes on my skin.

"I have to wait and see what my school schedule is like before I can say for sure when I'm free but I just wanted to put the idea out there."

Eric rolled onto his back. "Seeing each other will be difficult. I will want to touch you and I won't be able to."

I couldn't believe the words came out of my mouth but I said, "I could do the touching for you, you know?"

Eric smiled coyly and turned his head toward me. "You wouldn't."

"Three weeks ago I wouldn't. Three months from now I won't have a choice." I blushed furiously and Eric laughed quietly.

It was strange to be plotting out future sexual activities but it seemed like a conversation that needed to be had. Things had changed between us and they were going to continue to change. I wanted to know what to expect when we were apart.

"Will you date anyone else?" I asked and the look in Eric's eyes shifted.

"Ah, so that's what this is really about." With Eric's quick reflexes he was on top of me in the blink of an eye.

"No, that's not what this is about. I'm just curious. We haven't really talked about being exclusive with each other. We should."

"Do you want to see someone else, Sookie?"

"No."

"I don't either. You are the one I want. Just you."

I couldn't stop myself from grinning. "So there aren't any surprise girlfriends in Sweden who will be waiting with pitchforks and torches when you get home?"

"My last girlfriend was Veta, and we dated last summer. It has been over for quite some time now."

"Veta? Interesting name."

"Sookie isn't exactly common." Eric kissed me and then rolled off of me.

I tried not to put too much thought into Eric's ex-girlfriends. It was as much self-preservation as it was none of my business. I was sure my imagination was worse than reality, but in my head I saw Eric bumming around Sweden with these supermodel types with perfect hair and figures. If I thought about it too much it gave me a headache. Not to mention, it made me wonder what the hell he was doing with me.

A cool breeze blew into the tent. We'd zipped the screen closed but had left the other flap open. The temperature had dropped quite a bit since the sun had disappeared for the night. The ground was still warm which I was thankful for since I was starting to get a little cold. I suppose it didn't help that I was naked.

I sat up to retrieve my nightgown from my bag. "What are you doing?" Eric gave me look like putting clothes on was the craziest thing he'd ever seen.

"I'm getting cold. You know it drops into the upper 20's here at night?" I arched an eyebrow at him.

"I'll keep you warm, Älskling." Eric purred.

I giggled as I slipped my nightgown over my head. "I have every intention of letting you try, but just to be on the safe side, I'm going to put some clothes on anyway."

He grunted his disappointment and watched me pull on a pair of socks. I crawled back to him and snuggled beside him. I'd done the research on what weather was like in the desert at night. Sure it could be upwards of 110 degrees there in the daytime but without the sun, the desert wasn't nearly as warm. A fire burned dimly a few feet away from us. We'd lit it more for light than we had for warmth but I was starting to wonder if maybe it would be a good idea to throw another log on it.

"We're going to have to go into Roswell tomorrow. I'm running low on sunscreen." I said absently.

"And condoms." Eric added, making us both laugh.

In less than forty-eight hours we'd used more than half of them. At the rate we were going it would be a miracle if I could walk. I justified all the sex we were having on the limited time we had together. That, and Eric was just sexy as hell. Not to mention we were alone in the middle of nowhere. What else were we going to do? Travel Scrabble was only entertaining for so long. Yahtzee might be fun but it can't hold a candle to an orgasm.

"So what else do you want to do tomorrow?" I tilted my face up toward his in time to see his eyebrows wiggle at me. "Besides that, you horndog."

"I seem to recall a certain blonde woman calling an end to Yahtzee earlier by standing up and taking off her dress before strutting into the tent."

He was right about that. It was a shameless move but it had worked like a charm. It had also put an end to Eric's pouting after losing the third game in a row. If noise is any indicator, he didn't mind the consolation prize one bit.

"I'll try not to do that anymore if it bothers you." I smirked at him. He'd already made it very clear to me there was no reason for me to get dressed. Ever.

"I wouldn't want to stifle you." Eric teased.

"I'm serious about tomorrow. We should probably get up early and go into town. We can get breakfast and get the shopping out of the way. I was thinking we could go hiking for a while and then test out the lake if it's not too crowded?" I suggested. I liked having a plan. Eric was a bit more relaxed about the whole thing.

"Whatever you want to do is fine with me, especially if it means you'll be in a bikini."

"You're so predictable." I rolled my eyes.

"I am." He had no shame for it. "Sookie, whatever we decide to do will be fine. Just relax and enjoy the trip."

"I just want to make the most of it. I don't know when I'm going to get another chance to do something like this and I want to see as much as I can."

"And we will." He promised me, squeezing me tightly to him. "We've got a whole list of things we're going to see and do while we're traveling. We'll get to all of it."

"But we should pl-" I was about to go off on one of my neurotic tangents so he distracted me in the best possible way by shutting me up with a kiss.

It worked.

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**EPOV**

The temperature dropped pretty steadily overnight. I felt Sookie shiver a little beside me and and I got up to close the flap we'd left open for light. I'd thought about throwing another log on the fire but I'd decided against it. I didn't want the light to keep us awake. I knew Sookie was exhausted. I was, too, considering how much of our day we'd spent sitting. I never realized how tired a person could get just from driving.

"Come back." Sookie whispered.

"Just closing up the tent, Älskling. You were shaking." I zipped up the flap and hurried back to her.

We'd configured the sleeping bags to make one big pocket for the two of us, rather than sleeping in individual bags. In spite of her socks, her feet were cold. She wrapped herself around me, snuggling her face against my side.

"How are you so warm?" She threw her leg over mine.

I held her tightly and rubbed her back, hoping it would help her warm up. When that didn't work she asked me to get her sweatshirt from her bag. I reached over and grabbed her bag, dragging it across the floor. I pulled one of two sweaters out.

"Hood or no hood?"

"Hood."

I grabbed the other sweatshirt and handed it to her. She sat up, her teeth chattering, and slipped into the sweatshirt. She pulled her hair back and secured it at the base of her neck before pulling the hood up over her head. She squirmed back under the blanket and resumed her grasp on me.

"I'm not too cold, am I?"

"Älskling, I come from a country that gets much colder than this." I reminded her with a kiss on her jersey-covered forehead. "This is nothing."

"Says the guy with Viking blood." It was true. I could trace my family that far back in history.

I laughed loudly, squeezing her against me. "Perhaps I should pillage you?"

Sookie punched me playfully and said, "Only if you've been curious as to what it's like to have sex with a popsicle."

She was too much sometimes. "Can't say as I have, but given the delicious flavor of the one I'm holding..."

Her head tilted up. "You're so weird."

"It's one of the many things you like about me."

Sookie laughed as loudly as I had a moment before. "Sometimes. Mostly it's because you have a really great butt."

I couldn't argue with that. Years of football had done me a great service.

"Still want to go swimming tomorrow?" I teased her.

"You hush!" Her voice had taken on that dreamy quality again. "Goodnight, Eric."

"Goodnight, Älskling." I kissed her once more and then we both drifted off to sleep.

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**Okay, so this was a short chapter, I know. Hopefully my little Buffy curve ball up at the the top and the super yummy citrusy beginning will hold you over until tomorrow's chapter *nibbles bottom lip* Don't worry, baby birds, I'll feed you! Anyone else got a favorite Buffy scene? *looks around nervously* Thanks for reading!  
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	18. The Devil's Inkwell

I think there might have been a slight short circuit in my brain on account of all the True Blood yummy going around in the last few weeks. Not to mention, we get new episodes starting tomorrow, so I'm about as excited as a six-year-old on a pixie sticks and Red Bull diet *squeeeeeeeee*

A big stack of Viking shaped pancakes to **hearttorn** for being a stellar beta and putting up with me. I totes appreciate it.

**I do not own any of these characters but Eric _might_ punch a Newlin in this chapter ;)**

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**Chapter Eighteen: The Devil's Inkwell**

**SPOV**

I woke up sweating. Eric had unzipped the blankets at some point and we were both sprawled out on the combined sleeping bag. He'd even untied my hood and pushed it off my head for me at some point. I sat up slowly, my right hip a bit sore from being slept on for the better part of the night. Sleeping on the ground was a lot more fun in theory than in reality. I was curvy, but I wasn't real well padded where my hips were concerned.

I pulled off the sweatshirt Eric had gotten out of my bag for me overnight and tossed it aside. I unzipped the flap of the tent to see there were still embers smoldering in the fire pit a few feet away from the tent. I looked over my shoulder at Eric. He looked happy as a clam where he was, so I left him there to dig out a fresh change of clothes and my toiletries so I could go take a shower. I had every intention of getting the shopping out of the way so we could enjoy the rest of our day.

I located a pair of shorts and a tank top, along with one of my bikinis. I scrawled a note to Eric on the back of a receipt and left it on my side of the blanket before departing for the showers. It was just past dawn so I had the bathroom to myself. The water pressure wasn't great in that it felt like I was being pelted with water. I almost would have preferred a slow trickle to feeling like I was being pressure washed. Still, it got my hair clean and gave me a chance to shave my legs.

By the time I got back to camp, Eric was awake. He was still laying in the tent but at least he was awake. He had quite the pout on his face and I quickly discovered it was because he hadn't gotten his preferred wake up call. Poor baby.

"What am I, sex on a stick?" I shook my head as I packed up my clothes from the night before. We were going to have to do laundry after we got done at the Grand Canyon, if not sooner. All the dust was going to wreak havoc on our clothes. "Go take a shower. You'll feel better."

Eric continued to pout like I'd taken away his favorite toy- and I probably had- but he got up and went to the bathrooms to clean himself up. I made sure there wasn't anything of significant value in the tent before zipping it up. I wanted to think that anyone who might happen along would be honest and respectful enough not to go rummaging through our things, but there was no guarantee of that.

Eric drove us toward Roswell. We stopped along the way at a bakery that smelled too good to pass up. I was in need of coffee. Since I planned on doing some hiking later I knew that coffee and pastries alone weren't going to keep me energized for long, so we didn't go overboard, as tempting as it was to do so. Eric drove on as I drank my coffee and ate my very tasty cinnamon cheese danish. We found a Target and pulled into the parking lot to wait for it to open. We had more than enough time to finish our before breakfast treats.

We walked into the store right after it opened. The air conditioning felt nice. Temperatures outside were already shooting into the eighties. According to the local radio station we were looking at temperatures close to 100 degrees that day. The only good thing about the heat in New Mexico was that it was dry and not soupy like it was back home. All the same, hot was hot and going for a swim in Lake Lea was sounding better and better by the second.

We got the things we needed (and maybe a few things we didn't) and headed to check out. A middle-aged woman was behind one of two open registers. Eric and I joked quietly with one another, laughing while we unloaded our items onto the conveyor belt. The lady behind the counter- her name tag said Sweetie- began to ring things up. When she got to the boxes (yes, boxes) of condoms she shot us a dirty look and actually had the nerve to comment.

"Sex before marriage is a sin," she hissed, shaking her head in disappointment.

I was so flabbergasted by her commentary that I said, "We're not having sex, we're fucking."

Eric roared with laughter while Sweetie looked like she could spit tacks, she was so angry by my statement. I don't know what came over me when I said that but I didn't feel the least bit sorry for it. It also earned me a goosing from Eric. I looked over my shoulder at him with a wink and a grin. I didn't really give a damn if Sweetie approved of our sexual habits. It was none of her business. Who the hell did she think she was to pass judgment on us? It just got my dander all up in a fluff.

She gave the total owed and before Eric and I could argue over who would pay- Eric got mad when I tried to pay for things- I swiped my debit card through the little reader on the counter next to the register. I put in my pin number and completed the transaction before he could bump me out of the way. He gave me the hairy eyeball for it and insisted on carrying all of our bags out of the store. I just rolled my eyes and let him. Sweetie stared daggers at us the whole way out of the store.

When we got to the car Eric asked, "Where did that come from, Sookie?" He wasn't mad at me. In fact, he was quite amused by my little outburst.

I shrugged and said, "I didn't think it was any of her business but if she was going to be a nosy, judgmental bitch, then I'd really give her something to be pissed about."

Eric laughed as he stacked the bags in the car. He got behind the wheel and started the car. I turned to fasten my seat belt and came face to face with him. He leaned over just a few inches more and kissed me. It was one of those toe curling kisses that had me kissing him back and wishing we weren't in a public place. My stomach rumbled, reminding me there was more to life than jumping Eric's bones.

"Later. I'm hungry." I pulled away from him.

"So am I." His eyebrows wiggled at me, making me laugh.

"I mean food."

"Yes, that, too." Eric grinned and put the car in gear.

We drove around until we found an open diner. We parked the car and went inside to eat. The place was moderately busy and we were seated in the front in a booth that gave us a nice view of the street that was slowly coming to life. There were classic breakfast items on the menu but then there was a lot of tex-mex on it, too. I found out that Eric liked spicy food, where as I preferred simpler things. Unless it was jambalaya, but I wouldn't be having that for breakfast.

He ended up with some sort of breakfast enchilada thing that he insisted I try. It was actually pretty good, but way too hot for me. I got a frittata with sausage, onions and green peppers in it. It was delicious. I had a choice of toast or a tortilla with my breakfast. I got the toast since it was made from homemade bread. I think the toast was almost better than the eggs. When it came to food, good bread was a weakness for me. I drained two cups of coffee while we ate and talked. Eventually our check came and we were quickly on our way out the door.

By the time we got back to Bottomless Lakes, other people had started to arrive. We found out we had neighbors for our second night in the park. They were a young couple by the name of Steve and Sarah. His hair was dark and styled in a way that reminded me a bit of Donald Trump, only Steve used too much gel. Sarah was perky and blonde. She was very friendly and sweet where Steve aired on the side of condescending and preachy. I decided I didn't much care for him but I didn't mind talking to Sarah. They were easily ten years older than us.

"Where're y'all from?" She was from Texas, no doubt about it.

"I'm from Bon Temps, Louisiana." I smiled at her. She looked confused. "It's about an hour east of Shreveport."

"Oh, right." She smiled as if she knew. She didn't. "What about you, handsome?"

"I'm from Stockholm." Eric smiled kindly at her.

"Sweden? Hot damn! I've never met anyone from Sweden! Steve, come here!" Sarah called to her husband who was having a pretty nasty argument with their tent. He seemed to be on the losing end.

"Not now, Sarah, I'm busy!" He didn't even bother to look up.

"Forgive him. He's not good with outdoor things. This trip was my idea and he's been pouting about it ever since I brought it up." Sarah shook her head, looking around. "It's just so beautiful. How could anyone not love it here?"

Eric and I shared a look and then made excuses to get ourselves ready to go. "We're taking a hike and then going for a swim at Lake Lea." I offered when Sarah gave us a questioning look.

"Well, hopefully Steve'll figure that tent out and we'll see you at the lake." Sarah smiled without much hope on her face.

Eric and I waved before taking off. "You could have offered to give Steve a hand. You're almost a foot taller than him."

"I could, but I don't like the way he looked at you." Eric had no qualms about completely disregarding someone he thought had disrespected me. I sighed.

"Oh, please! You think everyone looks at me funny."

"This was different."

"He's entitled to think what he wants." I admonished.

"You mean like the cashier at Target this morning who you told we were fucking without a second thought?" Eric arched an eyebrow at me. He had me there.

"Fine, fine, I get your point."

"I'm rarely wrong." Eric put his arm around me and I laughed.

"Is that so?" I looked up at him.

"Yes." Arrogant. As annoying as it could sometimes be, I was woman enough to admit I liked that about him.

We stopped in the visitor's center and got a map of the park so we wouldn't go getting ourselves lost in the desert. I was carrying a small backpack that had sunscreen and Gatorade in it, along with my cell phone just to be on the safe side. I didn't know how much reception I'd get this far out but I figured it was better to be safe than sorry. A guy in his twenties told us the easiest way to get to where we wanted to go and pointed out the more advanced trails for us to avoid if we weren't experienced hikers. I knew I sure wasn't and I got the impression Eric wasn't either. Not that he would ever admit it.

I pulled my compass from under my t-shirt and kissed it. Daddy had certainly gotten me a gift that would come in handy. We used it all through our hike.

* * *

**EPOV**

We found the Devil's Inkwell. It was an interesting shade of blue-green and had gotten that way because of algae. There was no swimming permitted there, not that I would have chanced it even if there was. Sookie and I took a few pictures of the lake before deciding it was just too hot to stand around for much longer. We reapplied sunscreen and then headed back toward camp. I needed to get into my swim trunks.

We got back to the campsite to find the Newlins arguing over the tent that still wasn't set up. Sookie shot me a bit of a glare that told me I would be well-served to go over there and offer to help them out. Since I knew how cold the desert could get at night all on its own, I wasn't about to take the chance of being forced into my own sleeping bag for the night. I growled quietly but went over to offer my assistance.

"Do you need a hand?" I asked the bickering couple. I got two different answers at the same time. Steve was convinced he had it. Sarah was convinced he was a failure. I was prepared to take Sarah's side.

"Now Steve, don't be prideful. Eric here has offered to give us a hand." Sarah said a little too sweetly, giving Steve a look similar to the one I'd gotten from Sookie a moment before. I started to wonder if girls were pulled off to the side by their mothers and taught that look. "Eric that was very kind of you. Steve will gladly take your help."

Great. Now I was the one shooting a look in Sookie's direction but she was fiddling around with something in the SUV. I'd glare at her later. I went over to help Steve with his tent. It would have been much easier if he hadn't thrown out the instructions on how to put the damn thing together. He was an impatient little man who obviously had very little experience with spending significant amounts of time in nature. He swatted at anything that flew near him and more than once, he screamed like a school girl at the sight of a spider.

In short, Sookie's Gran was tougher than this guy.

I nearly punched him about four times but eventually, we got the tent up. He didn't even say thank you before huffing off to sulk behind his truck. Sarah, on the other hand, was more than grateful and invited Sookie and I to have dinner with them later. I deferred to Sookie on that one. Of course, because of her southern manners, she felt compelled to accept the invitation. Glaring at her wasn't going to cut it.

We managed to get away from the Newlins while they were arguing over whether to go up to the visitor's center or not. As we walked toward the lake Sookie asked what my problem was, at which point I finally got to glare at her.

"That Newlin guy is a dick."

Sookie snickered and shook her head. "Not everyone can be as charming and wonderful as you, honey."

"I almost hit him. A lot."

"What good would that have done?"

"I would have felt better."

"Until you found out you were sleeping in the tent alone."

"I know. That's why I didn't hit him. I fully intend to put this energy toward more pleasant things."

Sookie laughed, "Slow down there, buster. I don't think we're going to be fooling around with them so close to us. I don't need an audience and we're not exactly quiet."

I stopped walking and let go of Sookie's hand. "Please tell me you're joking."

"Eric, it's one night. We went how many years without having sex? You can handle one day."

I hated the Newlins. I hated their parents for spawning them. I grumbled the whole way to the lake, following a few steps behind Sookie. She dropped her canvas bag on the beach and began setting up towels for us to sit on. I got out the sunscreen and slathered some on before dropping the bottle in the sand and walking out to the water. Sookie called out from behind me but I ignored her. I was pissed and it was better for me to not be around her than to say something stupid that would just make things worse.

I stayed out in the water for a while, just floating and treading in the cool lake. Sookie stayed on the beach. When I hauled myself out of the water to apologize for being a dick she rolled onto her stomach and turned her head so she didn't have to look at me.

"Sookie, I'm sorry." I apologized. She stayed silent. "I was being an ass. I was pissed off at Steve and I took it out on you and I shouldn't have."

Nothing. Fuck.

"Do you need sunscreen on your back?" Still nothing. "Sookie, will you please answer me?" Nada. Nyet. I'm an asshole.

I suppose I deserved that considering I'd given her the silent treatment twice in less than twenty-four hours. Even worse, I'd walked away from her both times while she stood there trying to figure out what the hell my problem was. My problem was that I had a short temper sometimes and a bigger jealous streak than I realized. To make matters worse, I'd never really had to worry about whether or not things worked out with my other girlfriends. Sookie was different. The idea of losing her scared the shit out of me. What a clusterfuck. I figured rather than verbally harassing her until she flipped out on me, it would be better if I just stayed quiet. I ended up falling asleep.

I woke up to find that my t-shirt was draped over me to keep me from being burned too bad in the sun. My face felt tight, a clear indication that I'd been out for a while. I looked to my right to find that Sookie was gone. I sat up slowly, feeling a little light headed from being out in the sun for so long. I wanted to be pissed off that she'd left me without saying a word but I probably had that coming.

I made my way back to the campsite, expecting to see Sookie at the picnic table reading or talking with the Newlins, but the Newlins truck was gone and I didn't see Sookie anywhere. I checked the car first but she wasn't there. I went to the tent and found her curled on her side, still wearing her bikini. She was sound asleep. I located the big bottle of aloe she'd insisted we buy earlier just to be on the safe side. I rubbed some of the soothing green goo on my face and immediately felt a little better. It didn't last for long, though. I caught my reflection in one of the rearview mirrors and grimaced. I was burned alright.

I went back to the tent and crouched down next to Sookie. I stayed still for a few minutes, contemplating my options before deciding I didn't want to play games. I didn't want to see who could be more stubborn or who could hold out longer just to claim some stupid victory. We didn't have a whole lot of time and I didn't want to spend it fighting. So I laid down next to her, molding my body to fit around hers. I put my arm over her and closed my eyes.

"I'm still mad at you." She whispered, her voice cracking a little as she talked, but she grabbed my hand all the same.

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**SPOV**

I didn't get why Eric was in such a mood. If it was because of the Newlins, I could understand. He'd helped them because I'd asked them to. He didn't do it because he gave a rat's ass whether they got their tent up or not. If it was because of the whole sex issue, well, I didn't really feel too sorry for him there. It got me wondering if that was his whole reason for coming to see me in the first place. Was I just another girl he could say he'd had sex with? I didn't want to think that of him. We'd been friends for so long, too long to be having such a stupid fight. At the same time, I was learning he'd kept a few things from me that I probably should have known about sooner.

When he'd walked off and left me on the beach like he did, I couldn't believe it. After the fight we'd had the day before on the side of the highway I thought he'd learned something from it. I didn't appreciate him just stomping off when we didn't agree on things. I couldn't figure out why it was so hard to say what he was pissed about so we could just move on and put it behind us.

Then when he came back and apologized, I stupidly decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. I ignored him. As much as I wanted to just roll over and let him have it for walking away from me (again!), I figured I'd let him fester and see how it felt to be me. It was nice to know I didn't have to goad him into apologizing. He knew he was wrong, though I'm not sure he knew the reasons why he was wrong.

When I'd decided I had enough of laying in the sand I went down to the water and splashed around for a little while. I looked at the beach, hoping Eric would pop up and join me but that didn't happen. I figured out he was asleep. I put sunscreen on his face and he didn't move. So, I covered his chest with his t-shirt and headed back to camp. I wasn't really ready to talk to him yet and if I woke up him, he would want to talk.

I had been laying down for about twenty minutes when he found me in the tent. His body was good and warm from being in the sun for so long and I felt a little guilty for leaving him there like I had. I felt better when his arm slid around me. If he was mad, he wasn't letting it show yet.

"I'm still mad at you." I whispered. My voice cracked a little with the guilt I felt for leaving him on the beach.

"It's okay."

"No, Eric, it's not okay." I turned over and gasped when I saw his face. "Oh, honey." I reached up to touch his face but stopped. He was bright red and there were a few blisters on his forehead. "Eric, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have left you on the beach." I was crying. Great.

"I shouldn't have stormed off on you in the first place. I really wasn't mad at you. I was mad at the Newlins and-"

"It's okay." I understood why he was mad.

When I'd gotten back to camp the Newlins were just getting in their truck to head into Roswell to do some shopping. Steve looked like he never wanted to come back while Sarah looked all sorts of excited about dinner. Sarah nagged Steve into apologizing for being rude earlier and it suddenly all made sense. I should have just kept my big trap shut and let the Newlins deal with their own problems.

In the end it seemed we'd fought for nothing. We forgave each other and made up very much the same way we had the day before. Twice.

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**Looks like there's a naughty Swedish boy who hasn't quite learned his lesson yet...or perhaps he does it on purpose *strokes imaginary beard* I really do think I need to start a little something for outtakes, deleted scenes and little extras that don't make the chapters. What do you think about that? *twists fake mustache***

**Started a new story, if you haven't seen it yet. It's called **Hot For Teacher**. Inspired by the Van Halen song, but not about a student lusting after a teacher. Oh, no. No, this time it's totally teacher on teacher lusting, only they don't know it when they meet *ebil laugh* I'd tell you more, but it'd be more fun for you to go read it.  
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**Soooooooooooo close to 500 reviews here! I can almost taste it, and it's delicious. I owe it all to you! Thanks for reading!  
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	19. Santa Fe

Woooooooohooooooooo! I hit the 500 mark on the reviews! *passes out cake* Thank you, thank you, thank you! You guys are super awesome! I really do appreciate the comments you leave, even if I've been a slacker about answering them all. I wish there were more time in a day for me to do so. I'll spare you a super long A/N.

Thanks to **hearttorn** for being my spare pair of eyes here. You get the piece of cake with the world class Viking butt on the frosting ;)

**I do not own any of these characters, but I am making them play in the desert.**

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**Chapter Nineteen: Sante Fe**

**SPOV**

Poor Eric was pretty miserable on account of his sunburn and I felt seriously guilty over it, though he swore he didn't hold me responsible for it. We ended up bowing out of dinner with the Newlins. I told Sarah that Eric had gotten too much sun and we were just going to go to sleep early. Sarah seemed disappointed, while Steve didn't seem to care one bit. What a jerk. I hoped their tent caved in on them in the middle of the night. I ended up leaving Eric in the tent and running into town to see if I could find a grocery store or a restaurant where I could pick up some takeout for us.

Most of the restaurants served Mexican food. I picked up a bunch of tacos but was unable to get my hands on a bottle of vinegar so I could swab down Eric's face. We stayed up in the tent watching a movie on Eric's iPod. There wasn't a whole lot to choose from and most of the movies were in Swedish and didn't have subtitles. I probably could have figured out the plot just from watching but I wasn't in the mood to do that much thinking, so we ended up watching Super Troopers, of all things.

"If we get pulled over, I dare you to try that meow thing." I looked over at Eric.

"Done." He grinned at me and then winced.

"Awww, honey." I pouted at him and then gently kissed him.

We laughed at all the same things and when we tried to go to sleep, Eric started quoting lines from the movie. We were laughing all over again, going back and forth until I thought I was going to pee my pants I was laughing so hard. Hearing him quote the Germans was just priceless. Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

"I love you, Sookie," He whispered to me. He hadn't said that since the day before my prom.

I sat up and crawled over to the zipped up flap in the tent to look outside and see if the Newlins had retired for the evening. Their fire was doused out, and I was sure they were done in for the night. If they were awake I had no doubt they'd be arguing. Either that, or they'd finally gotten fed up and fought to the death. Something told me, though, that if they ever got in a physical fight Sarah Newlin would take Steve down in a heartbeat. He could posture real well but I was willing to bet his bark was worse than his bite.

"What are you doing?" Eric lifted his head off the pillows.

"Checking to make sure we don't have an audience." I zippered the flaps up again and then crawled back to him.

I pulled off the tiny tank top I was wearing and threw it to the side. "I thought you said this wasn't happening?"

"Seriously?" I arched an eyebrow at him in disbelief that he would even think about arguing with me.

But that was the end of talking for a while. Everything after that was whispers and both of us trying to keep the noise to a minimum so as not to wake up the Newlins. I was quite sure their evening hadn't ended the same way ours did. We fell asleep a tangled mess of sweaty limbs which we paid for when we woke up a few hours later, shivering with chattering teeth. I put on the same hoodie I'd worn the night before, along with a pair of warmer pajama pants I'd found in my suitcase that I'd hoped I wouldn't need. Eric was dressed similarly to me when all was said and done. We snuggled up together and went back to sleep.

Much like it had been the previous morning, we woke up sweating. I worried that all the back and forth with the temperature was going to make us sick. No way did I want to spend our time in Las Vegas or driving up the coast of California feeling like death warmed over. I was suddenly very thankful we were spending the next night in a hotel in Santa Fe before heading to the Grand Canyon. At least we'd have a better idea of what to expect at night.

"I think we should get an air mattress." I suggested to Eric as we took down the tent once we were showered and dressed.

"That's probably not a bad idea, but where are we going to put it? We're running out of room in the car."

That much was true. We'd tried to keep what we brought along to a minimum but we seemed to be acquiring more and more stuff. "There's always the roof rack?" I shrugged. We hadn't taken advantage of that just yet.

"True." Eric nodded and I could already see him climbing up the side of the SUV to secure stuff up there with bungee cords. He'd be shirtless when he did it. Yum.

We stopped at the same diner as we did the day before for breakfast before making a second stop at Target to buy an air mattress. Imagine our disappointment when we realized our friend Sweetie wasn't working. I think it's safe to say Eric's heart was broken, if only because he was hoping I'd say something else that was wildly inappropriate in a very public setting. I blushed a little just looking at check stand number six.

We took our time getting to Santa Fe. When we were doing research on-line and deciding where to stop, we'd considered Albuquerque, but had only decided against it because we couldn't find any good hotel deals. We'd found a rather nice hotel in Santa Fe that was more in our price range and there were lots of historical things to check out if we wanted to. Eric mostly wanted to check out the air conditioning and a real mattress. After two days of sleeping on the ground in desert climates, I was right there with him.

We checked into the hotel at exactly three o'clock. We put the 'do not disturb' sign on the door and fell into bed. When I woke up it was just after five. Eric was still passed out. I fired up his laptop and checked my email. There was a message from Mom wanting to know how things were going. I decided rather than email her back, I'd call her when Eric woke up. His poor face was still blistered in some spots and starting to peel already in others. I felt horrible for him.

By the time Eric woke up, I was starving. I'd looked around on-line to reasonably prices restaurants and was a little disappointed in the options outside of fast food. I really didn't want to end up on a steady diet of junk food. Unfortunately most of the restaurants in the area were out of our price range. I did, however, find a mexican restaurant that looked promising and wasn't too terribly expensive.

So I aloed Eric's face for him- poor baby- and we were on our way. We found our way to a place called Bumble Bee Baja Grill. Eric got a burrito about the size of my head that would have taken three of me to eat. I got a grilled chicken chalupa bowl which was similar to a regular taco salad. It was delicious.

"Want to try some of this?" I pushed my salad toward Eric. Hungry as I was, there was no way I was going to eat it all.

Eric didn't hesitate to grab my fork and spear a piece of chicken. "Not bad."

He offered me a bite of his burrito but I declined. "I'm not a big fan of sour cream."

He look surprised by my confession but then smiled. "That just means more for me, then."

I snickered and shook my head. I waited for him to finish eating. Not only did he eat the entire burrito but he finished off my salad as well. It were as though this was his last meal for days. I couldn't imagine eating that much in a single sitting, and I came from a family that stuffed itself silly at Thanksgiving. Eric still had enough room in the tank to suggest ice cream on the walk back to the hotel.

I groaned but followed him inside. "Come on, you only live once." He nudged me.

I looked in the case to see what flavors they had. When I saw mint chocolate cookie, I was pretty sure I'd died and gone to heaven. I knew I was going to have a stomache when I was done, but I was sure it would be worth it. I got one scoop on a sugar cone. Eric, the bottomless pit, got chocolate chip cookie dough and triple chocolate java chip.

"You planning on running a marathon later?" I shook my head at the amount of sugar and caffeine he was about to consume.

"If you'll let me." Oh, those dancing eyebrows.

"Subtle, honey." I winked at him. We linked hands and left the ice cream shop. "So I was doing some research while you were passed out. Even though we're not of legal age it turns out there's a lot of stuff to do in Las Vegas that doesn't require us to be twenty-one."

"Oh?" Eric had insisted on doing most of the planning for that leg of the trip.

He wouldn't tell me much outside of the fact that he'd booked a room for us at one of the hotels on the strip. He wouldn't say which one but I didn't really care. After spending a few days sleeping on the ground in Arizona, a bed would be most welcome. Just the thought of getting back to our current hotel room had me smiling. The air in Santa Fe was different from anywhere else I'd been. It was easy to get winded there. I'd read somewhere that it was 7,000 feet above sea level. I hadn't really taken that into consideration when we'd been planning the trip. If I had known, I probably would have pushed for another city enroute to Arizona.

Eric stuck his massive ice cream cone in front of my face and I took a bite of the java chip. It was tasty but nowhere near as good as my mint cookie. Eric looked over at me, waiting for me to offer up mine in return. I did so reluctantly.

"Well, I was just thinking that since there's so much we could do in Nevada that maybe we could stay there a little longer. Not that I don't want to see California, but it just seems to put us way out of the way for where we ultimately want to be. Not to mention, it would probably save us some money if we didn't drive all the way out there." I hadn't checked our finances since we'd been pretty good about not spending money on frivolous things, but I knew going all the way into California was going to bleed us a little bit.

Eric appeared to be thinking it over. "I was looking forward to seeing the ocean." He was disappointed.

"We can still go. It was just an idea." I shrugged. I'd wanted to see the ocean too, but I was trying to be a little more practical about all of this.

"Why don't we wait and see how things go in Las Vegas. If we're having fun, then we'll stay. But if we get everything done we want to do, then we move west."

"Sounds like a plan." I agreed and tilted my face up to kiss him. "Mmm, that ice cream tastes better than I remember."

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**EPOV**

When we got back to the hotel we took a few minutes to call Michele and Corbett. We'd only been gone for four days but it somehow felt longer than that. We didn't have a whole lot to report. Each chunk of desert looked pretty much like the last. We figured the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas would provide the most interesting things to see. Sookie and I had agreed we wanted to watch the sunrise while we were at the Grand Canyon and there was a state park in Nevada not too far from Las Vegas where we planned to watch the sunset.

While she chatted with her mother I checked my email. I'd gotten an email from Aunt Maggie, asking how things were going so far. She also wanted to confirm that Sookie and I would be arriving at her place on July first, as planned. I wrote her back to tell her that's what we were counting on and if anything changed, I would call to let her know. I gave her Sookie's cell number just in case she couldn't reach me on mine. My reception wasn't as good as Sookie's.

"Don't worry, Daddy, he's taking very good care of me." I pulled out of my own little world when Sookie tapped me on the shoulder. She rolled her eyes and then thrust her phone at me. "Daddy wants to talk to you."

I took the phone and held it to my ear. Sookie made herself comfortable in my lap, which just seemed extremely inappropriate since I was on the phone with her father. Before I got a chance to say anything, he was barking in my ear.

"How's my baby girl? She says she's fine but she'll say just about anything to keep me from hopping in my truck to come and get her." Corbett was nothing if not a character.

"Don't worry, sir, she's doing great."

"She getting enough sleep? Is she eating? She doesn't eat when she gets excited."

"Yes, sir, she's getting plenty of sleep and we're both eating regularly."

"Good man. I don't suppose I need to repeat my warning about her getting pregnant?"

"No sir." I looked to Sookie who was bright pink and mouthing an apology to me. "How's things on the home front, Corbett?"

Corbett launched into some of the dunderhead moves Jason had made since coming back home for the summer, including a story that ended with Jason leaving a parish truck in gear, causing it to roll down the embankment into Laughtner's pond. Not only was the back end of the truck pretty damaged, but old man Laughtner was pissed about what might happen to the catfish population.

"I swear, if I didn't know no better, I'd think Michele was hitting the bottle while she was carrying that one." I could practically see the roll of Corbett's eyes over the phone.

"You should have just let him work at the landscaper's." Sookie sighed.

"And have Caroline Bellefleur bitching all summer long about the zig-zag pattern he'd cut her lawn in just to spite the old biddy? I'll take dealing with Catfish's bellyachin'. At least I can buy him a beer to get him to cool off."

"You had Mom make him Shrimp Susannah, didn't you?" Sookie took the phone from me and put it on speaker.

"You know he loves it."

"He's not the only one. When we get home, I'm going to stuff myself silly with it." Sookie promised her father.

"Well we'll certainly be glad to have your pretty face back at our table, baby girl. Eric, you make sure she takes care of herself. And for God's sake, boy, stay out of the sun!" And with that, Corbett was gone. No goodbye, no further terms of endearment.

"Well, I guess he was done talking." Sookie shook her head. "Gran would pop him one of she heard him get off the phone like that."

"You know, I'm sorry we didn't get to spend more time with your Gran before we left. I was actually looking forward to it after all the stories I've heard about her." I twirled some of Sookie's hair around my fingers.

"We'll make time for her when we get back. She's going to want to hear everything about our trip, don't you worry. She'll grill you. She went easy on you before." Sookie warned with a smirk.

"Did she?"

"Yep." Sookie nodded and rested her head against mine. "You're the first boy I ever brought home."

I hadn't thought of that. If she was as open with her Gran as she was with her mother, that could make things a bit awkward. Then again, Sookie's Gran didn't at all strike me as some silly old woman without much awareness of the world around her. If anything, she seemed to have an insight into Sookie that no one else did. I envied that. My father's father was dead before I was born and his mother died when I was maybe six. My mother was born in England. When I was younger we'd go once a year to visit. My grandmother would send cards for my birthday and other holidays throughout the year. The checks inside became especially nice once I'd decided to start saving for a trip to Louisiana.

"I think you'd like Gingin." I smiled at the thought of my grandmother. She'd come for my graduation. My grandfather was too sick to travel.

"Gingin?" Sookie arched an eyebrow at me.

"My grandmother. I've called her Gingin since I was little. Her name is Virginia but she's been Gin or Ginny for the majority of her life. She didn't want anyone calling her Grandma, especially Pam, so she told me to call her Gin." I explained to her. "My grandfather, whom I call Chippy, was a bit of a cradle robber. Chippy was a professor at the University of Gothenburg. He taught ethics class, if you can believe that. Gingin was studying journalism. Imagine the potential scandal of a reporter on the newpaper carrying on an affair with an ethics professor. Also keep in mind that this was back in the late 1950s- and Chippy was already divorced with two adult children."

"That's definitely scandalous. I didn't know you had such a checkered history." Sookie teased.

"Oh, I think we all have a few bent branches on our family tree."

Sookie giggled at that. "Hadley is living proof of that. So I take it most people didn't approve of your grandmother spending time with your grandfather."

"That they didn't mind. They _did_ mind them fucking."

Sookie's faw dropped at how blunt I was about it. "Okay, I don't think I could ever use that word in the same sentence I was talking about my Gran and Grandad in." Sookie shivered.

"That's an American thing. You all are much more uptight about sex."

"Well, Mr. Northman, you are certainly doing your part to cure me of that."

I wanted to make a comment about her breasts but decided to save it for later when I was looking at them. I told her the story of how my grandparents got married and how my mother ended up in Sweden years later, only to fall in love with a nice Swedish boy her own age who also happened to be attending the university her father once worked for.

"My parents were married on the thirtieth anniversary of the day Gingin and Chippy first met." I finished the story and Sookie grinned.

"That's a sweet story. I'd like to meet Gingin and Chippy sometime."

"Gingin is a firecracker. She calls things exactly like she sees them and has no issue with saying exactly what's on her mind. Chippy, sadly, is not doing so well. If he makes it to Christmas, I will be very surprised."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Sookie kissed the side of my head.

"He was diagnosed with prostate cancer a while back. It's actually a miracle he's survived as long as he has, considering his age."

"How old is he?"

I had to think about it for a moment. "Ninety-four."

Sookie's jaw dropped. "Well, God bless him."

"Indeed." I nodded my agreement.

"Gran would have my hide if I told you how old she was, but she's nowhere near ninety-four."

"The funny thing is, it wasn't until he was diagnosed with cancer that I thought of Chippy as an old man. It's all a state of mind."

"I agree with you there. Gran certainly doesn't act like an old lady. Uncle Bartlett, on the other hand, has been an old man for as long as I can remember and he's only a few years older than Gran. But I guess it's because he doesn't have as much to keep him going. He never married or had kids of his own. That's why Gran is living with him." Sookie explained to me.

We talked about family for a while longer and shared a few stories from when we were kids that had us both laughing. I was suddenly excited to be seeing Aunt Maggie, even if Pam was going to be there. Pam was a spoiled brat, from all I could remember, and I imagined she hadn't gotten any better since the last time I saw her.

"So tell me about Pam." Sookie said as if she were reading my mind. "You haven't said much about her other than she's spoiled and a pain in the ass. There's got to be more to her than that."

"You'd be surprised. The last time I saw Pam she was pretty one-dimensional. But she's over twenty-one, so maybe she's changed. I know she's got her own advice column in the Tribune now so she's developed a bit of a know it all personality. She likes to think of herself as the next Dear Abby."

Sookie laughed at that. "Dear Abby, huh?"

"That's what she says. When I googled the woman- I had no idea who she was talking about- I had a good laugh. Pam might be able to pull it off professionally but I have it on good authority she doesn't live what she preaches."

"That's a shame. It'll be harder to take her column seriously if I ever get around to reading it." Sookie got up and headed to the mini-fridge to get a drink. "You want anything?"

We'd brought up bottled water and soda from the cooler on our way in from dinner. "I'll just share yours."

Sookie grabbed a can of Dr. Pepper from the fridge and popped the tab before taking a sip and passing it to me. "Well, I'm still looking forward to meeting them."

"I can't promise I won't punch Pam if she can't keep her claws retracted."

"No punching ladies."

"Pam's no lady." I shook my head and laughed. Sookie was in for a big surprise where Pam was concerned. "She puts up a very lovely front but it's what's underneath that counts."

"That's also very true." Sookie sighed and flopped back on the bed. She suddenly lifted her head. "Want to go swimming?"

"Sure." I shrugged. I wasn't ready to go to bed quite yet and it seemed a shame to let the pool go to waste.

The best part was watching Sookie strip down without a second thought so she could put on her bikini. More and more I was sure my decision to start my summer with her had been the right one.

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**SPOV**

I had just put down our towels when two strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me backward. The next thing I knew, we were tumbling into the pool together. I came up sputtering and coughing with Eric laughing behind me. I swam to the side of the pool to catch my breath with Eric right beside me.

"You trying to kill me, Northman?" I splashed him.

"Just having fun. I like it when you're wet." There went the eyebrows again.

"Tell me something I don't know." I rolled my eyes and then dipped my head backwards to get my hair out of my face.

"I've never fucked in a swimming pool." He said in a very matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah, well, I'm not looking to change that for you."

"We could be quiet." He moved closer to me and I started backing away from him. He had that dead serious look in his eyes that usually spelled disaster for me.

"No way, mister. You just stay right where you are." I warned him, a smile cracking my face.

"It could be a lot of fun. We haven't done it in water yet."

"And we're not going to. At least not out here." I looked around.

We had the pool to ourselves. It was after eight. From all I could tell, the few other guests occupying the hotel were business travelers. They weren't interested in hanging out with a couple of rowdy (horny) teenagers looking to let off a little steam. Proving how good he was at following direction when he was thinking with his other head, Eric stalked me around the pool. It quickly became a battle for me to keep the top half of my bikini tied. Eric chased and teased me all around the pool for about an hour before I finally dove underwater and yanked at his swim trunks. Two could play at that game.

Of course when I came up for air, Eric was on me in a heartbeat. I found myself locked in his arms with mine pinned at my sides. "You're in a precarious position, älskling."

I think that was probably the understatement of the year. I was trapped against a giant Swede who was very intent on sexing me up in a hotel pool with few means of escape that didn't involve kicking him where it counts. He kissed my shoulders and then I felt tugging on the upper ties of my bikini. He had to be using his teeth. I shuddered at the thought of it.

"Eric, so help me God, if you untie that..." I trailed off, a bit breathless.

"My bare ass is floating around in the pool, älskling. It's only fair." He pointed out.

"How about we just go upstairs? I've about had it with the pool anyway." Breathing was becoming an issue for several reasons, none of which had much to do with the air quality. "I could use a shower."

He growled in my ear and let me go. "Only if I get to join you."

"Deal." I dipped under the water and fixed his trunks for him. "Better?"

His answer was a kiss that had my toes curling. We couldn't get back to our room fast enough after that.

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**Yes, I am the devil for teasing you with this ending. You should be used to it by now. Besides, it seems only fitting with the severe case of blue ovaries we're all going to suffer after tonight's episode of True Blood. Gah! 3 minutes of nekkid!Swede *has heart palpitations* This will also probably be my last update until Tuesday because I'm having some work done on my router tomorrow. Don't worry, baby birds, I'll be back before you know it.**

**Happy Naked ASkars Day!  
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	20. Enough

So, my computer guy is a freakin' wizard and got me back on-line in record time *woot! woot!* That means you get a new chapter today instead of having to wait until tomorrow. Exciting, isn't it? Lucky for you, I hate to keep you waiting, so I'll keep this brief. I'm still recovering from True Blood last night, though it did inspire me to write a lovely little something I might post later. Hello sexy tiems blood induced dreams that don't make you want to puke because it doesn't feature Bill and Sam. Seriously, I can't be the only one who found that incredibly bizarre. I had tummy rumblins all night on account of that, and not in the good way. Lucky for me, I had the beauty that is nekkid!ASkars to act as brain bleach.

And on that note, I'll shut it so you can get to the good stuff...

**I do not own any of these characters but I am going to make them shower together. Yum.**

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* * *

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**Chapter Twenty: Enough**

**EPOV**

My eyes seemed to be on a mission to punish the rest of me. They wouldn't move from Sookie's ass as she walked ahead of me toward our room. I watched the sway of her hips and the way her bikini bottoms rode up just a little with each step she took. Walking up the steps was pure torture. It was all I could do not to throw her over my shoulder and run the rest of the way back to our room. Not even twenty-four hours had passed since we'd had sex last, yet it felt like it had been years.

"Stupid keycard," Sookie grumbled when the door wouldn't open. She fumbled with the key and dropped it more than once, causing me to think she was playing with me.

"Allow me, älskling." I reached out to take the key from her.

"I got it." Her voice was every bit as tense as my own.

Eventually she got the door open. Immediately I had her pressed up against the other side of it with my mouth attacking hers. She gasped in surprise at how quickly I'd moved. She dropped the towel she'd been clutching to her chest and our room key floated down with it. I kissed her hard and picked her up so we were eye to eye. Well, we would be if our eyes were open. She wrapped her legs around me, pressing her center to my stomach. She was hot and wet in all the right places.

"Shower." She pulled away long enough to get the word out before putting her mouth back on mine.

She wrapped herself around me as we headed toward the bathroom. It wasn't as big as the bathroom in Dallas, but I had no doubt we'd make it work. I started the water in the tub and set Sookie down on the cold tile floor. She grabbed my hands and guided them to the ties of her bikini, one set of knots at a time. In just four small tugs of my fingers, she was naked in front of me. Before I could grab her again, she was behind the shower curtain waiting for me. My swim trunks joined her bikini in record time.

I didn't pay much mind to the sting of warm water hitting my sunburn and I didn't notice the sting at all when Sookie's hand found its way between us to start stroking. She wasn't wasting any time. My hand made a similar trek down the length of her body, stopping briefly at her breasts before continuing its descent to her core. She nearly hissed when my fingers slipped inside her. Her back arched, pushing her breasts against me. Our mouths met and our tongues were battling for dominance in the kiss when I felt her walls clamping down on my fingers.

"Ah, Eric!" She was just shy of screaming. It was the most beautiful thing I'd heard all day.

She'd stopped stroking me so she could brace herself against the wall when her orgasm approached, but as soon as it was over she was back with a vengeance, repositioning herself to take me in her mouth. She'd never done that before. I held my breath, watching as she moved. She flicked and swirled her tongue like she'd been giving me blow jobs for decades. She was a natural at it. I sincerely hoped that was the case as opposed to her having practiced on a few other guys. I didn't think Sookie was the type, but I was learning she was full of surprises.

What she couldn't get in her mouth, she used her hands to stroke. She glanced up at me to make sure I was watching her the way I liked it when she watched me. I was. I couldn't take my eyes off her. When my release approached, she sucked a little harder and moved her small hand a little faster.

"Sookie, I'm close." I warned her, thinking that was only right.

She moaned with me still in her mouth and the vibrations sent me over the edge. It surprised me when she didn't spit. My knees went a little weak and I leaned against the cold tile wall. Sookie smiled up at me, her eyes questioning me.

"Did I do that right?" She asked nervously.

"Right doesn't begin to describe what you just did." I grabbed her and pulled her under the warm water. We kissed again for a while before deciding to wash up and get into bed.

She washed my hair for me and then I washed hers. We washed each other's hard to reach areas, but it was really just an excuse to keep touching one another. By the time we were clean, we were ready to get dirty again. Sookie turned off the water and we stepped out of the tub. Well, I stepped out of the tub and lifted Sookie out. We toweled off quickly and not very effectively. Sookie twisted water from her hair and attempted to dry it just a little with one of the already damp towels. She probably would have gotten it a bit dryer if I hadn't attacked her again.

We kissed our way back to the bed. I sat at the edge of it with her climbing into my lap to straddle me. "Condom." I reminded her.

"Where?" She looked at me with a pained expression.

I set her on the bed and went to dig them out myself to save us both some time. I grabbed one of the unopened boxes and brought it back to the bed. She'd arranged herself toward the center of the bed. It was a little cold in the room thanks to the air conditioning we'd cranked up earlier but we both knew we'd be warm and sweating in no time at all. We'd passed the one week mark of her being on the pill, but we weren't willing to take any chances just yet. Still, it would be much more convenient once we were sure the pill had taken effect.

I pulled a condom from the box and Sookie took it from me. "Allow me," she winked, unwrapping it from its package.

I laid down on the bed next to her and she straddled me again to roll down the latex. She kept her eyes on mine as she slowly lowered herself onto me. We both groaned when I was buried inside her. It was still somewhat of a slow process and she took a moment to let her body adjust before she put my hands on her hips and started to rock against me.

"Jag älskar dig." The words came tumbling out of my mouth. I didn't realize until after I'd said them that they were in Swedish but it just made Sookie smile.

"Say that again," She leaned down and put her ear near my mouth. "I love when you speak Swedish."

"Jag älskar dig," I repeated for her, meaning just as much as I did the first time I said it. I would say it as many times as she wanted.

We changed positions so she was on her back underneath me. Her hands grasped at my hips and then slid around to my ass as my thrusts got a little harder. She whimpered and moaned under me, nibbling under my ear. Our eyes met briefly, her hooded with desire and somehow clear with admiration. She was so beautiful.

"I love you," she whispered to me before stretching forward to kiss me.

Her body spasmed under mine, her walls tightening around me. She broke off the kiss to cry out. I thrusted into her a few more times before collapsing on top of her. She giggled quietly, stroking the back of my head as I caught my breath. Fucking amazing. When I rolled off of her she turned on her side and looked over at me.

"So, what did I tell you to repeat to me in Swedish?" She had an impish gleam in her eye.

I found her hand in the darkness and raised it to my lips. I kissed her fingertips and gave her the most serious look I could give her so she knew I meant business. I wanted her to know it wasn't just some excited utterance in the haze of sex. It was the real thing.

"I love you," I said and she smiled at me.

Message received.

* * *

**SPOV**

I woke with a start. My eyes popped open suddenly and I sat straight up in bed. Eric stirred beside me and whispered, "What's wrong, älskling?"

My breathing hitched as I tried to remember the dream that had pulled me from a dead sleep. "It was just a dream," I mumbled after taking in our surroundings.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He rubbed my back when I settled beside him.

"We were in the desert watching the sunrise. We were happy. You had your arm around me and I turned to look at you. We were older. Like maybe ten years from now. You kissed my hand and I was wearing a ring. I told you I was pregnant. You laughed like you were happy. You pulled me up with you when you stood. You hugged me," My voice broke then as I remembered the rest. "Then you pushed me off the rock we'd been sitting on. Then I was just falling into nothing. You laughed from above me as I fell."

I couldn't look at him. I knew it was just a dream. I knew Eric would never do anything like that. He exhaled slowly and tightened his grip on me before pressing a kiss into my hair. His body was warm and reassuring next to mine.

"It was only a dream, Sookie."

"I know." I nodded against his chest.

There wasn't much else to say on the matter. A half an hour later we were both still awake. I could tell by the way he was breathing, even if I wasn't looking in his face. I hadn't given much thought to the idea of getting pregnant since I'd made the decision to go on the pill. Between that and the condoms we'd been using, I felt safe. My dream jarred me from that, violently shaking my safety net and making me wonder.

"If something happened, I wouldn't be angry." Eric volunteered, almost like he'd been reading my mind. "We would be in it together. I wouldn't run away."

We hadn't talked about what would happen if I got pregnant in spite of the precautions we were taking. It seemed we were going to have that talk now. It was probably long overdue. I rolled onto my stomach and propped myself up on my elbows.

"I don't know if I could have a baby now, Eric." I watched his expression carefully.

"If it comes to that, we will make a decision together. You won't have to go through it alone."

"You're going back." Another subject we'd been avoiding. "I can't just move to Sweden and I can't ask you to give up your life there."

"Sookie, if you were having my child you wouldn't have to ask. I would just do it. No questions asked, no regrets." He slid his body down so we were face to face. "I mean it, you wouldn't be alone. We would raise the baby together."

"Like a marriage?"

"If that's what we decided we wanted, then yes, a marriage."

Huh. Didn't see this coming when he'd told me he was coming to America. I pushed the subject of marriage from my mind. We were too young. There were too many details to figure out and it was just too soon to even really think about it. Besides, he was talking in terms of us expecting a baby, which we clearly didn't want right now either. All of this was just too heavy for my half asleep mind to contemplate.

I turned onto my other side and Eric pulled me back against his chest. I felt his breath on my neck and shoulders. His breathing became more regular and even and eventually, we both fell asleep. I didn't sleep very well after that. I was awake before the wake up call came in. Our check out time was noon, but we wanted to get on the road early since it was supposed to be an eight hour drive into Arizona to get to the Grand Canyon.

Eric was still sound asleep so I carefully lifted his arm from around me and rolled out of bed. I went to the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth and take care of a few other things. I thought quickly about taking a second shower but knew the noise would wake Eric. Instead I put on one of my sundresses and went down to the lobby of the hotel to see about breakfast. They offered continental breakfast and I picked up a couple of boxes of cereal, a few cartons of milk and some fresh fruit before heading back to our room. I called and quietly canceled our wake up call since I was already wide awake.

I made myself a bowl of cereal and checked my email to see if anything new worth reading had come in overnight. There was an email from Tara telling me that she and Eggs were working things out. They weren't officially back together, but they were making progress. Mickey was taking her seriously, for once, and leaving her alone. She also confessed to spending a lot of time with Jason, which didn't surprise me one bit. Although I did worry for Eggs, since Tara had carried a torch for my brother for years. Jason just never saw Tara like that. She was too much like a surrogate little sister for him to make a move on her. Personally, I was grateful.

While I adored Tara as a friend, and Jason was Jason, I really didn't know if I could handle them being more than friends to one another. I barely wanted to hear about Tara's sexual exploits to begin with, since I was of the opinion that what two people did in bed together was none of my business unless I was one of two said people. I didn't need to know the details of Tara's sex life. Hearing about her first time was one thing but beyond that, I didn't want to know.

I responded to Tara's email, wishing her well. I hadn't told anyone that Eric and I had finally sealed the deal. It wasn't a conversation I wanted to have over the phone where Eric might overhear me and there was no way in hell I was putting it in an email that could get printed, forwarded or anything else. It was a private thing and frankly, I wasn't sure I wanted to share it with anyone other than Eric. Let everyone think what they wanted to. They were going to no matter what I said.

I was just about to sign off when a new email came in. It was from Hadley. I double checked the time to see that I hadn't gone into the twilight zone. What the hell was Hadley doing up at just after seven in the morning during summer vacation? I knew she wasn't working. She and Aunt Linda had gotten into a big fight over it. Aunt Linda thought it was time for Hadley to start being more responsible, while Hadley was insisting this was her last summer as a kid, in spite of the fact that she was legally an adult. The whole thing was ridiculous, in true Linda/Hadley fashion.

* * *

**TO: Cousin Sookie  
**

**FROM: Hadley D.**

**DATE: June 15, 2010****07:08:20**

**SUBJECT: Mayday!**

Hiya Sook,

Listen, I know I fucked up. I fucked up big and you have every right to hate me for what I did. I got in way over my head with some things and I totally understand if you never want to speak to me again. I was wrong. You know I hate to admit it even more than I hate being wrong in the first place. I really am sorry that I hurt you. I know I have a lot of explaining to do but I don't want to do it in some stupid email. I'd rather see you face to face but Aunt Shel says you won't be back for almost a month. I miss you already.

There's something I really need to talk to you about because I know that even though I was a total bitch to you, you'll give me good advice. You were always smarter than the rest of us. I know I don't deserve you.

Tell Eric I'm sorry. I'd email him myself but I don't have his address and I didn't think you'd pick up the phone if I called you. I can't really blame you there. Just trust me when I tell you that I was really fucked up over some serious shit. I hope you'll understand when I explain it all to you. For what it's worth, I told Bill to leave you be when you get home. You deserve to be happy and I had no right getting mixed up in your business. I was jealous of what you have going with Eric. Aunt Shel tells me he loves you. I hate you for it just a little because, well, look at him! He's a fucking God! At the same time I'm happy for you. I want good things for you, Sook, in spite of how awful I've been to you lately.

I promise that's going to change if you give me another chance.

Hope you're having fun wherever you are. Give me a call sometime and let me know you're okay, will you?

I love you xoxo,

Hadley

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I sighed, not quite sure of what to make of Hadley's email. It sounded more like the Hadley I'd known up until a few weeks ago. All of a sudden it was like she flipped a switch and became someone else entirely. I wondered what the hell had happened to make her go crazy like she did. I found it hard to believe it was simple jealousy. There had to be something more to it, but I wasn't about to go getting involved in that now. There was nothing I could do to help her from where I was.

And frankly, I was still mad at her for the way she'd treated Eric and me, and maybe even Bill a little bit. He'd never been the sort of guy who would say the awful things he said about me. Sure, he felt hurt and rejected by me more than once, but he'd never been spiteful about it. He'd always just sort of brushed it off, determined to get me to see him different someday. I don't know what the hell Hadley did to change him, but she obviously did something.

"You're dressed already?" Eric's sleepy voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Sorry, honey, I didn't want to lay there with my brain buzzing like it was and wake you up." I apologized and shut down the computer. I'd tell Eric about Hadley's email after I'd had more time to process it.

"What time is it?" Eric rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"A little after seven. I went downstairs and got us breakfast. I wasn't sure what kind of cereal you liked so I got a couple of different ones." I pointed to the boxes with my plastic spoon.

"Come back to bed." Eric lifted the blankets for me.

I smiled at him and held up my cereal. "I'm eating. We burned off a lot of energy last night, remember?"

"Yes, I do, and since we're going to be in the car for the next eight hours I might as well get my fix while I can."

I rolled my eyes at him. "As if you'd let being in the car stop you from feeling me up."

"Is that an invitation?" He teased.

"I prefer to think of it as a prophecy." I took one last bite of my cereal before tipping the little styrofoam bowl to my lips to drink the remaining milk.

"You would deprive me of my favorite way to wake up?" Eric was pouting like a toddler. This almost six-and-a-half foot tall manchild was giving me puppy dog eyes. And I was falling for it.

I threw my bowl and spoon in the garbage before making my way over to the bed. I moved to get in when Eric reminded me I was overdressed. "So do something about it." I shrugged, biting my lower lip.

I noticed Eric moved a lot quicker if it meant me being naked as a result. My clothes disappeared lickety split and then I had a manchild on top of me like a human blanket. _Hello, abs, it's nice to see you again_, I thought to myself as my fingers traced the various lines of his body. He really was delicious. We were a bit frenzied with one another since we had a bit of a time constraint working against us if we were going to get on the road and make to the campground before dark.

We ended up a tangled, panting mess of limbs that felt like they were made of grape jelly. We were sweaty and having a hard time getting our hearts to return to their regular rhythms. Eric kissed me lazily, his eyes starry. He snuggled close to me, his breath falling warm on my neck.

"Are you sure we can't do that again before we go?" He asked when I started to get up.

"I want to, believe me, I do, but we have to get going." I pouted back at him.

I went to the bathroom to wash up a little and Eric followed behind me with a serious pout on his face. He also didn't seem to care that I was standing right there brushing my teeth for a second time to rid myself of my Captain Crunch breath while he peed. Amazing what becomes acceptable once you're having sex with someone. I put toothpaste on his tooth brush for him and left him to do what he needed to do. While he ate, I packed and straightened up our room a little. While it was true housekeeping was going to come in and clean down the room, that was no excuse to leave it a complete mess. Eric was nothing if not a hurricane.

Spending all that time with him gave me a glimpse into what life would be like if we ever _did_ get married. I wasn't a neat freak, but I was definitely cleaner than Eric. I didn't know if that was just a difference in genders talking or just that we were different people. My brother was a bit of a slob, too. I tended to think it was a guy thing. After he finished eating, Eric reluctantly got dressed in a pair of lounge pants and a tank top that showcased his wonderfully sculpted shoulders. I could see the outline of those abs I loved so much and I felt myself biting my lip.

Eric caught me staring at him and smirked at me. "You had your chance, Stackhouse."

"Something tells me it wasn't the last one I'll get."

"Definitely not."

I laughed and zipped up the last bag. "You ready to go?"

"If you insist." He grabbed the bags from me.

I had yet to carry a single suitcase for more than a few seconds before Eric would take it from me. He walked ahead to get the door for me. I'll say one thing for him- he was well-mannered. Chivalrous, my Gran would have called it. I appreciated that he opened doors for me and pulled out my chair when we went places. Not only was it polite but it spoke highly of the way his parents had raised him. It was little things like that that meant more to me than any gifts he might try to buy me.

He went to the desk to check us out since the room was in his parents' names and was paid for with their credit card that he had authorization to use. Once all the papers were all signed and we were good to go, Eric reached for my hand before leading me out of the hotel. We paused to look fondly at the swimming pool before making our way to the car. We stacked the bags in the back where they belonged. We headed to a local grocery store to pick up fresh ice and a few provisions for the road.

We planned to stop in Albuquerque. We'd wanted to take a hot air balloon ride since they came so highly recommended, and it sounded like a lot of fun, but there just wasn't time for it. I took the first shift of driving. Eric and I would trade places when we stopped for gas next. We planned to stop in a town called Gallup not far from the border of Arizona. The highway was empty, save for the occasional mini-van or freight truck heading in the opposite direction.

Once we got past Albuquerque, the highway was a series of desert views and cacti. We spied quite a few prairie dogs poking their little heads up as we drove past. Since it turned out Eric and I were both big readers (that was a new tidbit I picked up about him since the trip started), we'd bought a few books while we were at the grocery store and he was reading aloud to me. I loved the sound of his voice. I could tell when he started to get a little tired, though, because his accent got thicker than usual. It was like that when he was angry or when we were having sex. I guess anytime he was feeling an extreme.

"Honey, if you're tired, you should take a nap before we switch places." I glanced over at him.

"Yeah, I think I might." He marked the page in the book and set it on the little console between us.

"Your pillow is in the back." I gestured over my shoulder. He took a few gulps of water before reaching behind me to retrieve one of the pillows. "Will you grab my iPod out of my bag for me?"

He grabbed my purse and started searching for my iPod. What he found instead were my birth control pills. He held them up and looked at them. He looked confused and amazed all at once.

"You know, it's amazing that a pill can stop nature from taking its course." He shook his head.

"It's a damn good thing it does."

Eric put the pills back in my bag and located my iPod in one of the pockets. He handed it over to me before putting my purse back behind me. He made a very polite request that I not listen to country, and since he asked me so nicely I was willing to oblige him. I settled on more mellow music so that he'd get some sleep. No way would he be able to with the Black Eyed Peas reverberating through the car. He leaned over to kiss me before reclining his seat and snuggling up next to his pillow.

The last thing he mumbled before drifting off to sleep was, "Your breasts are better."

I didn't even want to know what he was thinking.

* * *

**EPOV**

When I woke up alone to find Sookie already dressed for the day, I was a little disappointed. As sleepy as I was, I could tell something wasn't quite right with her. She seemed like she was somewhere else. She didn't say anything about it but I knew she'd mention it when she was ready. The sex was good but it was rushed, and not in the good way. It was almost like she was just trying to get it over with to shut me up. I didn't feel good about that.

I sat in the passenger's seat beside her hoping she'd tell me what was on her mind, but she kept oddly quiet for most of the drive. Her mind was definitely somewhere else. I kept reading because otherwise we'd be trapped in an uncomfortable silence. I'd never had that problem with her before. Even when we got quiet on our web cams it didn't feel weird. There was no pressure to fill the void.

I figured if she needed time to think that I might as well get some sleep before I took over the driving. So I grabbed a pillow from the back seat and handed her her iPod when she asked for it. She agreed not to listen to country music, which I was thankful for. I just wasn't in the mood for the twangy music and sometimes whiny lyrics that accompanied it. Coldplay filled the car and after kissing her, I reclined my seat and went to sleep.

I woke to the graze of her fingertips on my forehead, brushing my hair away from my face. She was slouched down in her seat, leaning in close to me. She smiled slightly. The darkness that had clouded her eyes earlier in the day was gone. I smiled back at her and then sat up to stretch.

"Where are we?"

"Gallup. I was going to wake you up a few minutes ago but you were sleeping pretty heavily." She explained as she pushed herself up in her seat. I fixed my seat and went to put my pillow back, but she asked me to keep it where it was. "I could use a nap and it'll smell like you. I'll sleep better."

I put the pillow behind me and leaned over the arm rest to pull her closer to me. Our eyes met, and for a second, I thought she might start crying. Her eyes watered and I wondered just what the hell was going on in her head to make her moods bounce around like they seemed to be doing. She closed her eyes and leaned in the rest of the way to kiss me.

"Is something wrong, Sookie?" I knew something wasn't right but I didn't want to push.

"I got an email from Hadley earlier," she confessed as a tear slipped from her eye. Great. Fan-fucking-tastic. No wonder she was all over the map. "She apologized for her behavior before we left. She told me there's a good reason for it but she wants to tell me face to face when we get back. She asked me to tell you she's sorry for the way she treated you."

I wasn't quite sure what to do with that information. "Do _you _forgive her for the way she treated you?"

Sookie shrugged and I could tell she was struggling with what to make of it. "I don't know. She's my family. She's been like a sister to me for pretty much my whole life, but what she did with Bill ... there's really no excuse for that. She really could have messed things up for us and I don't know if I can just let that go. But you should decide for yourself. Don't hold a grudge on account of me."

"Sookie, don't take this the wrong way, but I don't give a shit what Hadley thinks. I don't care if she likes me or approves of me. What I care about is what _you_ think. Everything else is secondary to me."

"When she's not being a raving lunatic like she's been lately, she's not so bad. I mean, she can be a total dum-dum a lot of the time but usually it's not in a mean spirited way so much as a dumb blonde way. She's usually a lot of fun to be around."

Since I couldn't think of anything nice to say about Hadley at that moment I kept my mouth shut. Sookie got out of the car to use the bathroom while I started filling the gas tank. I leaned against the side of the car like I usually did and kept an eye on the small store in front of me to make sure no one messed with Sookie while she was inside. When the tank was full I put the nozzle back in its holder and replaced the cap on the tank. Another car pulled into the station and parked at the pump across from ours.

I walked into the store and found Sookie standing in front of an ice cream case. "I can't believe they have rocket pops." Sookie's face lit up.

"Rocket pops?" I had no idea what she was talking about.

"Yeah, these," she reached into the freezer to grab a rather large popsicle that appeared to be in the shape of a rocket. It was red, white and blue- very patriotic. "You want one?"

"No, thanks." If Sookie was going to be sitting beside me eating a popsicle that was going to be trouble enough without me trying to eat and drive at the same time.

The list of things Sookie shouldn't eat while in my presence was growing. We paid for the gas and her treat and got back in the car. I moved the driver's seat back before attempting to get behind the wheel. She was already buckled in and unwrapping her popsicle by the time I got the seat adjusted accordingly. Just as I feared she was practically deep-throating that popsicle when I turned to look at her. It didn't help at all that she winked at me.

"You're killing me over here, Stackhouse." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"Am I?" Vixen.

"Don't make me pull this car over, young lady." I taunted her in my best Dad voice. I assumed fathers in America said that as frequently as fathers anywhere else.

"You wouldn't dare." She smirked at me before most of that popsicle disappeared in her mouth.

Enough was enough. I pulled over.

* * *

Yep, that's where I cut it. Thanks to **hearttorn** for beta'ing this.

*runs away giggling*


	21. Roadside Assistance

*sings* Gonna get rowdy, gonna get a little unruly. Get it fired up in a hurry. Wanna get dirrty *clears throat* Oh, hi! Didn't see you there... oh, the fun I've got planned for the start of this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Thank you to **hearttorn**, and by extension, **zigster**, for providing some of the cuss words that appear in this chapter. Google translate can't catch 'em all, apparently. Eric and his potty mouth *giggles*

**I do not own any of these characters, but I will make Eric do car maintenance. **

**

* * *

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**Chapter Twenty-One: Roadside Assistance**

**SPOV**

If I said I didn't know what I was doing with that popsicle, I'd be lying. I could feel the tension rolling off of Eric, as if him shifting in his seat like his shorts were on fire wasn't enough of a hint that I was getting to him. I looked over at him innocently with as much of that popsicle in my mouth that would fit, and when he looked back at me, I winked.

"You're killing me over here, Stackhouse." He shifted again in his seat.

I pulled the popsicle from my mouth, making a popping sound when I released it. "Am I?"

Eric growled at me and then said, "Don't make me pull this car over, young lady." His voice was authoritative and sexy as all get out.

"You wouldn't dare." I smirked at him before running my freakishly blue tongue up the length of the popsicle. Playing. With. Fire.

The SUV suddenly swerved off the road when Eric noticed a small dirt road to the left. I didn't have a chance to brace myself for the turn and I was flung against the door. The car skittered on the dusty road and there was a very noticeable popping sound, then the even more obvious sound of a flat tire flopping against the ground. The rear of the car sagged on one side. Great. Just what we needed.

"Eric, what the hell?" I glared at him.

"I can fix it." He growled as the car skittered to a stop and he violently changed gears so we were parked.

I sat there dazed for a moment before getting out of the SUV, which was now covered from any passers-by thanks to a large gathering of bushes and golden desert rock. Eric yanked open the hatch of the trunk and began to unload everything to retrieve the jack and new tire. I stood to the side, afraid to approach him.

"You could help." He glared at me. So we were going to fight?

"We'd still be on the road if you could control yourself." Wrong answer. I knew it the second the words left my mouth.

"If you aren't going to make yourself useful then get back in the car." He ordered me. Two wrong answers. At least we were batting a thousand.

"You don't have to be an ass about it." I grumbled and tossed my popsicle to the side. Playtime was definitely over.

Silently we unloaded things from the back of the car, piling them carefully. I tried not to pay any attention to the way Eric's muscles flexed as he lifted things. Now was not the time for me to start thinking like that. Thinking like that was what got us in this mess in the first place. We'd been out of the car less than five minutes and I was already sweating buckets. It was ridiculously hot. The sun beat down on us as he pulled up the trap door in the trunk. I stepped forward to hold it open for him while he got out the jack.

I silently said a prayer of thanks for Daddy teaching Eric how to do simple car maintenance. Not that I couldn't have done it myself but I had a feeling he would have been extra pissed off he had to stand by while his girlfriend changed a tire for him. Eric lifted the tire from the little well under the trap door and my eyes betrayed the rest of me, drinking in the sight of those arms, his chest, shoulders, and even his abs working together to lift. I said a second prayer in hopes that if I was drooling, the Lord would take mercy on me to make it stop.

I let the trap door down while Eric set up the jack. I watched as he worked and once he had the car tilted just so, he began to remove the lug nuts one by one. More flexing. I think, just for a few seconds, I stopped breathing. The fact that he stood up to remove his tank top didn't help one bit. I wanted to use his own words against him. Northman was definitely killing me, one lug nut at a time. It was extremely unfair how I couldn't decide if he looked better dressed or undressed. It was all a big mess of yummy from where I stood. Damn him. I wanted to be pissed off. Instead I was thinking about what it would take to get him to take off his pants as well.

"Can I help?" I offered in a voice that didn't sound like my own.

"I think you've done enough." His tone was biting.

"I'm sorry, Eric! I didn't know this was going to happen." My voice cracked. I didn't want him to be mad at me.

He didn't say anything which didn't help. I figured he either had nothing to say or his comeback was so scathing he was biting his tongue to keep from making me cry. He hated it when I cried. I tried not to because I didn't want him to think I was one of those manipulative girls who used tears to get her way. If I cried right now, I figured that was exactly what he would think. I didn't want him to think they were crocodile tears. I genuinely felt bad. This wasn't at all my intention. But then rather than being sad about it, I got angry.

"Fine. Well, if you don't want my help then maybe I should just go wait in the car." I put a little venom of my own in my voice.

"Fine." He sighed and knelt down to move the damaged tire from the wheel.

I didn't move, though. I stayed right there where I was. He slid the tire off the wheel and turned it until he found where the damage was. My best guess is that we hit a rock, because there was an actual hole in the tire. No way was that going to get patched. The tire was a goner. I moved to open the trap door for him again so he could put the damaged ring of rubber in the well.

Eric slid the new tire into place with the same flexing muscles that had my lady business in an uproar a few minutes before. I looked at the mess that was once my delicious frozen treat. The red and blue seeped through the white section of the popsicle to make a lavender mess. At least the desert was going to enjoy the spoils of our misfortune.

"I was just playing around." I whispered.

Eric stopped what he was doing, the muscles in his back taught and begging for me to touch them. I stepped closer and put my hands on his shoulders. I hoped he wouldn't flinch and he didn't. He seemed to relax a little. Whatever frustration he'd felt initially was melting away and I wanted us to be okay again before we got back in the car. We had a few hours to go and we really didn't have time to fight on the side of the road, but I would take that over fighting in a car.

"You're going to be the death of me, Sookie." He shook his head as he tightened the lug nuts.

"Because I ate a popsicle?"

He whipped around and stared at me. He dropped the crowbar he was holding and a cloud of dust blew into the wind. He stalked toward me and grabbed my hand, pressing it against him. Clearly his excitement over my little performance with the popsicle hadn't faded yet, in spite of his anger. Instinctively I stroked him over his pants and a growl rumbled in his chest. So. Freaking. Sexy.

"That isn't what you were doing and we both know it. You were toying with me. This is what you wanted, isn't it?" His hand was on mine and moved it a little faster.

My breath caught. His other hand reached up and grabbed the back of my neck, bringing me close to him. His lips crashed down on mine in an almost violent way. He moved to deepen the kiss and my hand stilled for just a moment before reaching inside his pants. He was still dressed in his joggers, giving me room to roam. He growled again when my hand wrapped around him and started stroking. He pushed me back against the open hatch of the SUV and picked up one of my legs so my foot was propped up against the rear fender.

His hand trailed up my thigh and under my skirt. His lips released mine and moved down to my neck while his hands continued up. He traced the outline of my panties to find he wasn't the only one who had been turned on by my display, much less the gawking I'd done while he'd changed the tire. He pushed aside the damp cotton and two of his talented fingers slipped inside me, sending my hips bucking toward his hand.

"Is this what you wanted, Sookie?" He nibbled at my ear. Words seemed to lose all meaning to me just then. My arm started moving again, rewarding him for the lovely things he was doing between my thighs.

No sooner had my release exploded than he removed his fingers from my core. I closed my eyes while I tried to find some sort of balance and clarity in my hazy brain. I didn't get the chance, though, since I was turned around quickly and lifted onto my knees so I was facing away from Eric. He pushed me forward and my hands grabbed at the back seat. I felt a rush of hot desert air on my thighs and then my panties being pulled down. I looked over my shoulder to see Eric freeing himself from his joggers. I bit my bottom lip and with one fluid thrust, he entered me hard.

I yelped in surprise and excitement. He stayed still for just a moment while my body adjusted. There was a bit of sting since I hadn't been expecting it so soon. Not to mention the position was new to me. It was wonderful, but new all the same. He held onto my hips and started to thrust. He went slowly at first so as not to hurt me but it didn't last long. I felt my walls start to clench around him, which only made him thrust harder and faster.

"Eric, oh God, ugh, harder!" I cried out, earning me another growl from him.

His hand snaked around and rubbed my little bundle of nerves. It was aching for his attention and it got it in spades. He slammed himself against me. "Is this what you wanted, Sookie?"

"Ugh! Oh! Fuck!" The sounds came with each thrust of his unrelenting hips. God, I felt good. I knew I was close. "Eric, please..."

He didn't disappoint. I was learning that when it came to sex, Eric would never let me down. Ever. One hand rubbed between my legs while the other moved to attack my breast over the thin material of my dress. The one good thing about being out in the middle of nowhere was that I didn't have to hold back. I could scream bloody murder and no one was likely to notice. So I let go. Over and over again I told him I loved him, though I'm not sure he could understand what I was saying.

My orgasm exploded, sending flashes of color to dance behind my eyes. I squeezed Eric mercilessly from the inside, screaming his name when I came. He pulled out of me just long enough to turn me around and lift me up so he could impale me on him. I found myself smashed against the side of the SUV for leverage. His hands held me by my thighs as he resumed his pounding.

A thin layer of sweat covered us both, except for Eric's face, which was dripping. Our mouths met again and our tongues did the dance they'd been perfecting for the last few weeks. I'm not sure how he kept me pinned against that car, but he did. It rocked violently with his thrusts against me. His forehead pressed against mine as he spoke in a tone that was part whisper, part growl.

"Come with me, Sookie." He said as he started to swell inside me.

Without a second thought I reached between us and touched myself. I'd never done that in front of him before. He watched my fingertip move in circles and it pushed him over the edge. It wasn't until I felt him release inside me that I realized we hadn't bothered with a condom. I had a brief second to panic before my orgasm put a stop to it and I came again. I wrapped my arm around his neck as I shuddered and cried out. Then I went completely limp and it was a miracle we didn't drop to the ground in a sweaty, post coital heap.

He kissed me hard before putting me back on my feet. He pressed his forehead to mine and stroked my hair. "We didn't use a condom." He clearly had the same revelation I did.

There was nothing to say, so I said nothing. We both just stood there silently for a few seconds, processing what we had just done. It should be okay. We weren't clear of the first seven days since I'd started taking the pill, but what were the odds? We would just have to be more careful. We didn't say any of those things, though. Later. We would say them later once we were both calmer. We fixed our clothes. Eric lowered the car and removed the jack. I held the trap door while he put it where it belonged.

Silently we repacked the trunk before returning to our proper seats in the car. We both reveled in the air conditioning for a moment before Eric got the car back on the road. He reached over for my hand and kissed the back of it. Before long, I was asleep.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Skit. Knulla. Den jäveln. Hur kan vi vara så dumma? Knulla!" I waited until I was a good distance away from our campsite before I unleashed my firestorm of curses.

I'd left Sookie sleeping in the tent. I'd lain with her until she she'd fallen asleep. In the aftermath of our impromptu interlude in the desert earlier in the day, we'd each been quiet. It wasn't just that we'd been careless and forgotten about condoms, but it was the act itself. There was something about it, as sexy as it was at the time, that scared me when I thought of it now. I'd been rough with her, rougher than I'd wanted to be. She didn't seem to have much complaint about it then, but I wondered if maybe after some reflection she'd started to feel used. I didn't want her to feel that way.

I knew she'd gotten off on it. She'd come hard. Really hard. Both times. Still, I worried that I would ultimately come to pay for that. I'd felt this need to possess her and control her with my actions and I'd never felt that way before. She'd been toying with me, so maybe that was what set it off. But then, I'd had girls toy with me before. Kirsten had been a fucking master at toying with me but I'd never responded like that. I'd never felt that thing inside me snap. I wasn't sure that I liked that Sookie could make me feel the way she did. It was scary.

I ended up gathering a huge pile of rocks and throwing them over the edge of the canyon into the abyss of space below. I wanted to scream but I figured I'd scare the other campers if I did. It was late. We'd gotten to camp before sunset, which was really all either of us cared about. We hadn't said much to each other since we got back on the road. I worried she was freaking out about the possibility that one time was all it took. A month from now, would she be bawling hysterically when one of those silly store bought pregnancy tests told her we were going to be parents?

What would I do if she got pregnant? We'd sort of talked about it but I don't think either of us were really willing to go there. Would I walk away from my life to be with her? Was I ready to care for a child? She said she wasn't and she was the one who would have to exclusively care for the child for the first nine months of its life. Would I be okay with it if she had an abortion? Could I sign over my parental rights to a stranger? There were so many questions and I just didn't want to think about any of it. This summer wasn't supposed to be so heavy. It was supposed to be fun.

And yet, there I was at midnight staring out in this empty space, pondering some of the heavier subject matters in life. I don't know how many rocks I threw, but I do know that not a single one of them got me any closer to finding the answers I needed. Eventually I felt myself getting tired and I headed back to the tent. Sookie was curled up on the air mattress in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. A hooded sweatshirt was at the ready in case it got frigid in the middle of the night.

I stripped off my tank top and eased myself onto the mattress next to her. I pulled her close to my chest and wrapped my arm around her. She snuggled back against me and put her hand on mine. She was warm and relaxed.

"Can we be normal again?" She whispered in the dark. "I hate it when you don't talk to me."

I really needed to work on that. I was trying. I was just afraid of fucking it all up by saying the wrong thing. Besides, I knew she had her own secrets. "I shouldn't have treated you like that earlier."

"Eric-" she started, but I cut her off.

"I had no right to do that."

"Eric, I'm not mad at you." She whispered and then turned over to face me. "I knew what I was doing when I started teasing you. I wanted you. I still want you. Nothing's changed." Her small hand come up to rest on my cheek. It had started to peel a little in some places, thanks to that heinous sunburn two days before.

"And if we get pregnant?" I made sure to say 'we' so she would know she wasn't alone. She wouldn't be. I'd do whatever she wanted me to. If nothing else, she was still my best friend. I wouldn't leave her.

"I really think we're okay." Her voice was weak and not very confident. "Can we not talk about it now? There's no point in worrying ourselves over it if it's nothing. We'll just be more vigilant from now on."

We sure as shit would. I had always been careful. Always. There was no way I was going to take that big a gamble. I cringed at the thought of what I would have done if it had been Ema, Kirsten or Veta that this had happened with. What scared me more about this was that I wasn't really scared of the idea of raising a child with Sookie. It would just be another adventure for us. And adventure we weren't really ready for, but an adventure all the same.

The fact that Sookie was so calm about it was what really got to me. She wasn't panicking at all. She was mellow and taking a more laid back approach to everything. Was she hoping, at least in part, that we'd end up with a kid? But then that didn't make any sense either. If she wanted to get pregnant we wouldn't have bothered with condoms at all, and she certainly wouldn't have gone to the trouble of having her mother take her to the doctor to go on birth control pills.

Eventually, my brain just shut down, refusing to process any of it anymore. The warm sweetness of Sookie's lips on mine woke me some time later. It wasn't light out yet. She whispered in my ear that she wanted to watch the sunrise. She started to tug me off the air mattress, or at least she tried to. My muscles weren't in the mood to cooperate just yet.

"Stay with me." I whispered, pulling her back to me.

She unzipped the window flap over our heads. From where we were laying we could watch the sky change. I knew it wasn't what she had in mind but she conceded for me. She shifted her body so that she was laying across the mattress with her head resting on my stomach. Our fngers laced together and we watched silently as the sky changed colors. The stars faded as light started to take hold of the world. The inky darkness turned lighter and lighter until the sky was bright blue with golden rays filtering down from the heavens. It was beautiful.

"Thank you." She whispered with her eyes closed.

"For what?" I raised her hand to my mouth and kissed the back of it.

"For just laying here with me. I like us like this." There was a faint smile on her lips and I wondered what she was thinking. Was this one of those moments she would draw on later when I was gone?

In that moment I tried to memorize every line of her face. The smoothness of her forehead, the arch of her brows, the curl of her lashes, the curve of her cheek bones, the perfection of her nose and the swell of her lips just above the roundness of her chin. I paid close attention to the line of her jaw and the slenderness of her neck. Her hair fell like silk across my body, pooling on my forearm at my side. Her head rolled to the side and her eyes fluttered open. They were so impossibly blue and they sparkled in the earliest rays of day. Beautiful.

"I love you, Sookie." I whispered to her, squeezing my palm to hers.

She pulled our hands down to her face and kissed the back of my hand the way I'd done with hers and smiled at me. Her eyes closed and she turned on her side. It wasn't long before my eyes closed as well, the moistness of her breath falling evenly on the back of my hand as she slept. I fell into a dreamless sleep. When I woke, Sookie was gone. She left me a note to tell me she'd gone to shower and would be back soon. I stretched and then rolled off the air mattress. I felt stiff and a little achy.

I forced myself out of the tent. It was stifling hot in there, in spite of the fact that she'd left the privacy flaps open so I'd get whatever breeze might come through. I was quickly learning there really wasn't such a thing as a cool breeze in the desert. Never in my life had I missed the cold winters of Sweden more than I did just then. I wasn't used to temperatures so high. We didn't get 100 plus degrees back home. I wouldn't be missing them one bit.

Sookie returned from her shower to find me at the picnic table eating an apple while trying to get my limbs working again the way they were supposed to. She straddled the bench beside me after pausing to kiss the top of my head. I held out the apple to her and she took a bite, juice running down her chin. She went to wipe it away with her fingers but my tongue beat her to it. Delicious.

I kissed her, getting some of that apple back and then grinned. "Well good morning to you, too." She said while chewing the apple.

"How was the shower?"

"Well, it's not as much fun as a shower for two but at least I'm clean." She shrugged and then winked at me.

"Shower for two, huh?" The images my brain was conjuring up were torturous and it wasn't helping that Sookie picked up her shirt to apply sunscreen to her already very tan stomach. "Is it your goal in life to kill me?"

She snorted and said, "Get over yourself."

Easier said than done. "If you'll recall, you tempting me yesterday resulted in a blown tire in the middle of nowhere."

Sookie leaned over and whispered, much to my surprise, "Yep, I remember. Then you fucked me silly." As if to prove a point, she licked my ear.

"You want to play, lover?" I tossed the apple core into the fire pit a few feet away.

"Lover?" She arched an eyebrow at me.

"I'm trying it out. Judging by the blush that seems to be creeping up from those magnificent breasts of yours, I'd say we have a winner." I teased.

She opened her mouth to argue, but I ended up taking advantage of it and covering her mouth with my own. She sank against me, bracing her hands on my bare shoulders. I pulled my mouth from hers and before she could say anything else I had her over my shoulder and carried her back to the tent.

"Eric, what are you doing?" She laughed and then pinched my ass.

"Claiming my prize." I set her down on the air mattress and zipped the tent shut.

* * *

_Skit. __Knullla__. Den jäveln. Hur kan vi vara så dumma? __Knulla__!_ Shit. Fuck. Son of a bitch. How could we have been so stupid? Fuck!

**Okay, baby birds, this is the last chapter I have in my bank for this story. Don't panic, I'm writing more, I promise! I have some research that I need to do before I can write, however, so please be patient with me. In the meantime, you can always check out "Hot For Teacher". That one requires no research, just a high tolerance for flirting and lemons. I'll be back to this as soon as I can. Thanks for reading!**


	22. The Windy City

**My apologies for such a huge wait for this chapter.**

So, here's the deal where this story is concerned. Part of what kept me from working on it for so long was all of the research I was starting to do in order to complete it. I realized that because I am such a neurotic mess for accuracy, it would take me **FOREVER** to get everything compiled that I would need in order for all of the locations to be accurate. Since I've never been farther west than Iowa (and that was for all of a day when I was probably 11), writing about Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Salt Lake City, Denver and even Minnesota just wasn't going to happen like I wanted it to.

So we're fast forwarding to the Chicago portion of the story with little flashbacks here and there to the places they visited. Mostly they'll be telling stories to Eric's Aunt Maggie and Pam, and that's how we'll learn how their trip has gone since we saw them last in Arizona. I apologize if this feels like a cheat but it was the only way I could see fit to continue the story. Being that I've grown up just outside of Chicago, it's the most logical choice for me to pick up the story from this location.

We all on the same page? Sweet! So, now that I've just spent almost a half a page flapping my gums, I'm going to shut up so you can get to the goodness you've all been waiting for.

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Windy City

**SPOV**

Since Eric wasn't the best at map reading, we decided he would drive from Minnesota to Chicago so I could read the maps for him. We were a day behind schedule but we'd decided we wanted to spend a day in Minnesota. We'd stopped in Wisconsin a few times but there wasn't a whole lot to see, at least the parts we drove through. There was a lot of farmland and cattle. Nothing too exciting. We pulled into a rest stop just before the border of Illinois to stretch our legs. Traffic reports on the radio let us know that construction on the highway we were taking was going to have us sitting in stop and go traffic for quite some time. On top of the construction it was also Friday _and_ the Taste of Chicago was currently going on. The city was crazy busy, packed with lots of people.

"I don't know about you, but I'm glad we're going to be staying in the same place for a couple of weeks. I've really had my fill of camping." I told Eric as we walked along, hand in hand.

"I agree," he put his arm around me without letting go of my hand.

"Are you excited to see Pam and Maggie?" I looked up at him.

"It will be good to see them. I can only hope that Pam behaves herself, but I'm prepared for her to be just as nasty as she always is." Eric stopped walking and turned toward me. "If you hate it, we can leave, no questions asked."

"I'm not going to hate it." I squinted when I looked up at him.

"I hope that's true, but if it's not, I just want you to know we don't have to stay."

"It's going to be fine, Eric," I squeezed his hand. "We should get back in the car."

"I've been thinking, maybe we should find somewhere outside of the city to wait until traffic dies down some. Why sit on the road in a cramped car when we can spend some time out in the sun?"

"Because at least the car has air conditioning. Besides, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can shower and take a nap. I don't know about you but I'm exhausted."

Eric nodded his agreement. "A nap in a normal bed would be nice."

"Yes, it would, so lets go. If the highway is horrible, we'll navigate side streets. Chicago is on a grid system like New York, so it shouldn't be too hard to follow."

Of course, I said this without realizing just how insane the traffic could get. Nor did I realize how many streets were effected by the festival that was going on. We'd crossed the border into Illinois just shy of two in the afternoon. By the time we got to Eric's Aunt Maggie's it was almost seven. Eric called Pam to tell her we were close by, and she told us where to park the car in the underground garage of the high rise Maggie lived in. Our names had been left with security in order to gain access to the building.

We rode in the elevator up to the forty-seventh floor. Just three floors higher and we'd be in the penthouse. Pam greeted us at the door since Maggie was at a business dinner she couldn't get out of. The second I saw Pam I'd never felt more country than I had in my whole life. She was well put together and it was obvious to me that as much as no one wanted to mention it, there was still a caste system in our country. Girls like Pam would never fit in where I came from. She'd probably never done a day of labor in the outdoors. I could just see the scoff and roll of her eyes if someone suggested she weed a garden or mow the lawn. Pam wouldn't have it.

But I suppose I'd probably have similar reactions if someone suggested I coordinate myself so that my underthings matched my manicure along with my purse and shoes. Pam and I were about as different as two women could get. She was also beautiful. It was easy to see a resemblance between her and Eric. She shared his blond hair and blue eyes. I imagined she wouldn't be much taller than me if she wasn't wearing what can only be described as heels of death. How she managed to walk in those things was beyond me.

"Cousin, it's good to see you. Mother would have liked to be here but she was expecting you yesterday," Pam greeted in what I supposed passed for warmth in her mind.

"We decided to spend one more day on the road before settling down for a bit." Eric explained. We were still standing in the hall. My southern manners prickled at that.

"And you must be Sookie," Pam eyed me up and down, a glint in her eyes that made me nervous. "I can certainly see why Eric has taken to you."

"Thanks, I think. It's nice to meet you, Pam. Eric's told me a lot about you," I offered her my hand and she looked at it like it was diseased.

"I don't shake hands," she informed me. "Do come in." She stepped out of the way so Eric and I could walk into the apartment.

It was decorated in a very sophisticated way. It wasn't too cluttered but it wasn't too sparse. It was different than any home you'd see in my tiny hometown but it was nice all the same. Pam showed us around the apartment before stopping at the room Eric and I had been assigned to.

"Mother wanted to put you in separate rooms but I told her it would be a waste, since I'm sure you'll be sneaking in to see one another." Pam was giving me the eyes again.

"Pam," Eric's tone was one of warning.

"Well, I have plans this evening so I can't stick around to entertain you. There is a spare key for you on the island in the kitchen. There is food in the refrigerator if you plan to stay in. Mother won't be home until at least midnight. She's out the door every morning before six so you probably won't see her until tomorrow afternoon. I was thinking to go down to the Taste tomorrow, if you're so inclined." Pam looked to Eric.

"We haven't decided what we're going to do yet," Eric put his arm around me and I leaned into him out of habit.

"How cute," Pam rolled her eyes at us. "Welcome to the Windy City."

And with that, she was gone.

* * *

**EPOV**

After we each took a shower we raided the fridge. Sookie offered to cook us dinner but I knew she was every bit as tired as I was. If we were going to spend the next day walking around the city with Pam we would be better served having something simple and going to sleep. So we settled for sandwiches and ended up falling asleep while watching the newest Terminator movie.

A dream woke me in the middle of the night. I was wrapped around Sookie. Her chest was to my back and the smell of her hair invaded me. While we were at the Grand Canyon, she'd run into a friend of hers by chance. His name was Alcide and it was obvious to me that he had a bit of a crush on Sookie. She seemed completely oblivious to it, claiming they were nothing more than friends. They'd grown up together in Bon Temps. She told me I was being ridiculous when jealousy flared up in me when I saw him hug her. I didn't trust the guy.

Ever since then I'd had one dream after another of him popping up wherever we happened to be. In Las Vegas he ended up in line behind us while we were waiting to ride the roller coaster at New York, New York. In Salt Lake City he invited himself to join us at a diner we were eating at. In Denver he was hiking the same trails. When we got to Mt. Rushmore he was already there, waiting for us. Well, he was waiting for Sookie. He'd swept her up in another one of his big hugs and even had the balls to kiss her. I fucking hated Alcide. I hadn't had a decent night's sleep since that day.

Dreams of him always roused my inner caveman, and more than once Sookie had to fight me off to keep me from marking my territory in the middle of the night. I took her rejection personally, even though she had no idea what was going through my mind when I tried to advance on her. I didn't tell her only because I knew on some level, I was being ridiculous. She loved me. That much was obvious. She knew I loved her. She hadn't complained once about any of the crappy hotels we stayed at ,or when it could be absolutely miserable to camp.

This most recent dream had Alcide appearing at the rest stop we'd stopped at in Wisconsin. While I was in the bathroom he'd launched into conversation with her and when I tried to get her back, he simply grabbed her hand and walked off with her. Sookie had given me a helpless look but didn't really bother to fight him off. When I tried to go after them, I couldn't. My feet were suddenly sinking into the cement and I was powerless to stop them from leaving. She was being taken from me and there was nothing I could do about it.

Somewhere in my head I knew it had more to do with the fact that we were running out of time. Before too long she would be tucked away at school and I would be back across the Atlantic, trying to decide what the hell to do with the rest of my life. I'd been thinking a lot about whether or not I could ever really go home again. I knew I would be plagued by thoughts of her and what she was doing. I would think about every slimy frat boy who would hit on her, and how all it would take was just one time for her to miss me too much to say no. If she slept with someone else it wouldn't be because she didn't love me, or because she wanted someone else more. It would be about comfort because she missed me. But Sookie wasn't the kind of girl to console herself like that.

No, Sookie would suffer silently, and wait it out until I could come back to her. But was it fair to make her wait? She was so beautiful and and deserved to have everything. I wasn't sure I could give it to her, as much as I wanted to. I knew I loved being her best friend, and loved her like no one else could, but was that enough? All the thoughts of being separated from her made me feel the need to be closer to her. I disentangled our limbs and rolled her on her back.

Her lips parted just a little bit. Her hair was splayed out on the pillow beneath her. Her cheeks were rosy from all the time we'd spent in the sun. Her tan was deep, and even and in the darkness, she looked like she was glowing just a little bit. She was my own personal sunshine. Her nightgown rode up on her hip, baring her long legs to me and I couldn't help but move them apart enough to make room for me to get between them. My fingers grazed her collarbone to clear her hair away from her neck, and the slight tough left her nipples hard. I couldn't have stopped myself from kissing her even if I wanted to.

"Eric, what are you doing?" she whispered to me while I doing some of my best work just below her ear.

My response was a deep kiss on her lips. I could still taste the mint of the toothpaste she'd used on her tongue. She didn't respond to me right away but it didn't last long. Her fingers wove into my hair, pulling me closer to her. It had been three days since we'd had sex last. I wanted her. I needed her. I had no idea what time it was, or who might be in the apartment besides us. When she moaned, I reminded her we had to be quiet.

We lay there, making out, until Sookie reached between us to push down my boxers. Her small hand wrapped around me, stroking a few times before using her other hand to move her underwear to the side. I drew her nipple into my mouth without moving her nightgown out of the way. She gasped and then guided me inside her. The warmth and tightness was something I didn't think I would ever cease to be amazed by. Her legs wrapped around me and her heels dug into my lower back, urging me to move inside her. It was slow and sweet so we wouldn't make too much noise and alert everyone else to what we were doing.

She bit my shoulder when she came, her cries stifled against my skin. Without intending to (at least that's what I told myself), I knew all of the attention I'd paid her neck had left her marked. I collapsed on top of her when my own release found me. She feathered kisses up the side of my face and down my neck, her arms and legs wrapped around me. I started to wonder how I was ever going to give this up. I loved her too much to walk away. She was all I ever wanted.

Eventually I pulled out of her and rolled to the side. She tucked herself against me, waiting until my arm was wrapped around her shoulders before she closed her eyes. "I love you, Eric." She whispered, and then she dropped back into her dreams.

I didn't sleep for the rest of the night. I laid there beside her watching her sleep. I watched the movement of her eyelids, and the slight sucking of her bottom lip whenever she rolled her body from one position to another.

* * *

**SPOV**

It took about five minutes for me to figure out how amazing Chicago was. True, it was ridiculously packed, but it had a great energy. Tempers rose a little high in the midday sun, but I couldn't really blame anyone for that. Eric and I learned quickly it was probably best to get in and get out of the fest as soon as possible. We'd scouted the vendors on the internet so we knew where we wanted to go. In fact, we had maps for just about every section of the city.

Pam had kindly warned us not to go any farther south than Soldier Field unless we had an armed guard escort. I learned we were staying in the River North neighborhood of the city. The apartment was off of Dearborn and Ohio, and within walking distance Grant Park where the Taste of Chicago was being held. It was a little less than a two mile walk to get there, and much easier than trying to get a bus, train or cab to take us.

I'll admit, I felt some silly competition with Pam, after seeing how petite she was. I stopped feeling so self-conscious when I got on the scale in the bathroom, and realized I'd dropped almost twelve pounds since leaving home at the start of the summer. I'd always been comfortable with myself. Well, as much as any teenage girl can be comfortable with herself. I didn't mind being curvy, or that my tummy wasn't always flat as an ironing board.

If we kept up with all the walking, it wouldn't matter how many pieces of stuffed pizza I had, or the amount of fresh caramel corn I ate. I had to learn the hard way that deep dish pizza isn't something you eat with your hands. It required a knife and fork, and even then, it was a bit tricky. One slice was a meal, but that didn't stop Eric from knocking back a couple of pieces. I was amazed by how much that boy could eat.

"Full yet?" I asked him after he had two pieces of pizza, half a turkey leg and two ears of corn on the cob.

"Almost. I saw mud pie cheesecake somewhere," he grinned at me.

I groaned and asked, "Where are you going to put it? I can't carry you back to the apartment, you know."

"I fully intend to work off every single one of these calories," those eyebrows of his started wiggling in that dangerous dance they did when he had one very specific activity on his mind.

"Don't get your heart too set on it. It's not even sunset, and I'm already exhausted." I stretched out on the lawn.

I turned my head to the side to watch the water at Buckingham Fountain. A breeze picked up and blew in off the lake. It was easily in the low nineties outside, and the humidity rivaled what I would be experiencing at home. The only thing missing was the smell of honeysuckle. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the feel of sunshine on my face. Music from the music shell on the other side of the park filled the air, along with the happy screams of children.

"What are you smiling about?" Eric asked as he settled down next to me.

"I'm just happy," I let my head roll toward his. My eyes opened and he was smiling back at me. He reached for my hand and our fingers laced together. "I'm also so full I don't think I'll eat again until we get back to Louisiana."

"Nonsense. We'll be driving through Memphis to get back. That means barbecue, if I remember right."

"Ugh," I groaned and scooted closer to him to rest my head on his chest. "I don't know how you can even think about it."

"Well, there is something else I would rather be eating right now." Sex voice. Total sex voice.

"You hush!" I reached up and pinched his stomach, which turned into a short wrestling match on the grass before the tenting in his shorts told me it was time to stop.

We managed to walk all the way to the Shedd Aquarium. We found a place to sit, and camped out there until the fireworks went off after dark. The Star Wars theme filled the air, timed perfectly with the fireworks. I leaned against Eric, his arm wrapped around me while I pointed up at the sky. I glanced at the sailboats down in the water, from time to time, and wished I was on one of them. I loved the sensation of rocking lazily on the water. It was such a slow, soothing rhythm.

"Are there many festivals in Sweden with fireworks?" I asked Eric without taking my eyes off the sky.

"There are for the New Year, and then at Gothenburg Harbour-" he stopped there, a child-like grin cracking his face when a giant white burst happened overhead.

We laughed, pointed and smiled. The finale of the show was beyond loud, and Eric ended up pressing my head to his chest and covering my ear with one of his large hands. When it was over, everyone was clapping except for us. His lips had found mine, and we sat there kissing amidst the cat calls and people telling us to get a room. There were so many people trying to get away from the lake shore, it was impossible to move anyway.

So, we stayed right where we were and talked about the things we wanted to see in the city before we had to head back. It took nearly an hour before there was any hope of being able to get back toward River North. We walked along Michigan Avenue. Navy Pier was visible in the distance, all lit up in the warm summer night. By the time we got back to Maggie's apartment building we were ready to pass out.

We both showered quickly, then fell into bed. I think we were both sound asleep before our heads even hit the pillows.

* * *

So there you have it. I hope that was worth waiting more than 7 months for. I'm trying to map out the rest of this story, since I know how it's going to end. I've already started working on the sequel to it, although Lord knows how long it'll be before I get it published. I have so many balls in the air right now. Thanks for reading!


	23. All in the Family

**I'm sorry it's been such a long time between updates on this. I've been at war with how to end this story and it wasn't until today that I came up with a less angsty way to end it. Trust me when I tell you, what I now have planned is MUCH better than what I was originally going with. You can also thank **d. design** for reviewing the heck out of this story today and lighting a fire under my ass to get back to it.**

**Hopefully, y'all didn't have to go back and reread the whole thing before you could read the update. I know, I know, bad Mama Bird.**

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Chapter 23: All in the Family

Being around Eric's family got me thinking about my situation with Hadley. She'd emailed me twice since the first letter I got while Eric and I were still in Santa Fe and I had ignored both all of them. While I was grateful she had apologized for being so awful to me, I wasn't quite sure I forgave her. It was one thing to be jealous of what I'd found with Eric but it was quite another to try and destroy it.

It was a betrayal I hadn't seen coming and quite frankly, one I wouldn't have expected from Hadley. I would have thought that she, of all people, would have been the happiest for me. She knew, maybe better than anyone, just how much Eric meant to me. I couldn't even count the number of times we'd talked about him. She knew all too well that my feelings had shifted and she also knew I was scared he was going to show up only for me to realize we didn't really have any chemistry.

While it was true my fears turned out to be all for nothing, that wasn't really the point. It bothered me quite a bit that she was so willing to try and manipulate a situation, and even more so that she seemed to have intentions on going after the guy I was interested in. There was a mean streak in me that took pleasure in not only ignoring her pleas for forgiveness, but in knowing there was no way on God's green earth that Eric would ever be interested in her now.

Seeing Eric with Pam (who wasn't really the ice queen she appeared to be when I first met her) reminded me of how close Hadley and I had always been. When all was said and done, I really did miss her. I was sad that I hadn't been able to call her up and tell her about losing my virginity like I'd always thought I would be able to. Instead, I'd kept that to myself and found that even though I could talk about most things with Eric, there were still some things that I wanted to talk to a girl about.

As much as I liked Pam, I didn't feel comfortable confiding in her about something like that. I mean, why would she want to hear her cousin's sex stories? Besides, I was pretty sure she would tease him mercilessly about it, even though there was nothing to tease. From all I'd heard about first times, mine had been pretty wonderful. Sure there was pain involved, but that was to be expected. Eric had been gentle and sweet with me which was more than a lot of girls could say.

We spent the fourth of July safely tucked away in Aunt Maggie's condo, both Eric and I too exhausted to do much else. We soaked up the air conditioning and watched movies on TV. When the sun went down we watched the coverage of the Taste of Chicago that was broadcast on TV and when it was time, we watched the fireworks from Maggie's enormous living room windows. The view was spectacular and I was almost certain that if I could reach out a window, I'd be able to touch one of the sparks.

"This is so cool." I said under my breath as the colors exploded in the sky.

Eric didn't say anything, just squeezed me closer to him. I felt his chin rest on the top of my head and I squeezed him back. The show was fantastic and when it was over, I tried not to think about the fact that we had one day less to spend together. We ended up snuggled on the couch, Eric all excited over the movie _Easy Rider_ playing on TCM. I fell asleep not too far into the film but I'd seen it before on account of Daddy.

"Sookie," Eric's beautiful accent filled my ears and I murmured in response. "Time to go to bed."

"Comfortable," I mumbled, not really wanting to get up.

Apparently, me getting up wasn't mandatory since I was scooped up in a pair of strong arms and carried through the apartment to the bedroom we were sharing. Eric set me down gently and then went about changing to get ready for bed. I didn't care that I was still in my sundress. It was as good as a nightgown anyway.

When he snuggled into bed behind me, I reached back for his hand to pull his arm around me. I slept better that way and it was hard to imagine what it would be like to sleep alone again once he was gone. I'd had a few dreams here and there where I'd ask him to stay. There was always some reason why he had to go back but he was never clear on what those reasons were. All the same, he always ended up getting on a plane and I ended up sobbing hysterically as I watched his plane disappear into the vast blue horizon.

What was I going to do without him?

I was up early the next morning. So early, in fact, that the sky was just barely starting to lighten up. I slipped out of bed and headed for the bathroom to pee and brush my teeth, since I hadn't done either of those things before bed. I smoothed out my hair a little and was headed back to bed when the smell of coffee caught my nose. I made my way to the kitchen and stopped shot to see a dishwater blonde woman sitting at the kitchen table with a very large mug and a newspaper before her.

Almost as if she could sense me standing there, she looked over in my direction and smiled broadly. "You must be Sookie!"

"Hello," I nodded and curtsied politely.

"Aren't you just the cutest thing?" The woman I assumed was Maggie was on her feet and crossing the distance between us with legs almost as long as Eric's.

"Thank you, ma'am." I didn't know what to call her and Eric had never given me a surname to address her by. The manners I'd been raised with prevented me from calling her by her Christian name without her permission.

"Ma'am?" she gave me an arched eyebrow. "Whoever invented that term should be strung up, drawn and quartered."

Graphic.

"You can call me Maggie, or Aunt Maggie, if you prefer." She wrapped me in a hug.

"Alright then, Maggie," I said with a smile while hugging her back.

"You're an early bird," she smiled at me when she pulled back.

"Not really. The smell of coffee got me," I admitted.

"Help yourself," Maggie gestured for the coffee pot. "Let me get you a mug."

A short time and a large mug of coffee later, I was seated at the table with Maggie, telling her about our trip so far. She was a sweet lady who was easy to talk to and had a good sense of humor. She asked about living in Louisiana and how I liked the city so far.

"I haven't seen much of it. Eric and I spent a day down in Grant Park, I think it is…" I trailed off and Maggie nodded. "But we spent the day in yesterday. We've been traveling so much and spending so much time outdoors that it was nice to have a day of quiet and air conditioning for a change."

"I bet." Maggie laughed and got up to refill her mug. "I take it you met Pamela?"

"Yes, I did. She was here to let us in when we first arrived."

"I hope she wasn't rude. She can be a mouthy one." Maggie warned, although it was just a little too late for that.

"No, I wouldn't say that." I said and watched as Maggie pursed her lips.

"She's just got a thick skin is all, and expects everyone else does, too," Maggie explained, bringing the coffee pot back with her in case I wanted a refill as well, which I definitely did.

"Well, lucky for me I don't really get offended easily. Growing up with a big brother will do that to a girl, I guess," I shrugged while she poured.

We talked a bit more about how Eric and I met and the way things had been between us since he arrived in Shreveport. She commented on how obvious it was I was crazy about him. Not that I tried to hide it or anything, but I didn't think I wore it on my sleeve the way she said I did.

"So what about when the summer ends? I imagine Eric has to get back for his military duty," Maggie sighed.

"Military duty?" My eyes about bugged out of my head. "Eric never said anything about that to me."

"It's mandatory in Sweden," Maggie looked at me like I should have known that when clearly, I didn't. Her expression changed and said, "I guess he hasn't mentioned it."

"Uh, no," I said bitterly, my eyes filling with tears.

Maggie didn't say anything which was a wise decision on her part. I wanted to go back to the bedroom and wake Eric up with a bucket of ice water to the face so we'd both be feeling the same way, but instead I sat there stewing in my anger. I knew Eric wasn't planning to stay in America but he could have told me he was going back to Sweden to serve in the military. I would have understood it. Why didn't he tell me?

"Are you a breakfast eater? I could sure go for some bacon and eggs if you're interested," Maggie offered after a good ten minutes of silence.

I nodded silently, knowing I should offer to help but unable to find my voice. If the service was mandatory, it wasn't as if Eric didn't know he was going to have to do it. This was something hanging over his head that couldn't have possibly slipped his mind this whole time. He'd had ten years to tell me about it and he never had.

It dawned on me then that maybe he never did plan to tell me. Maybe this whole summer was all we would ever have together. Maybe that had been his plan all along. I didn't want to believe that was true but if he could keep something like this from me, what else was he hiding? It was the not knowing that started to eat away at me.

"Sookie, honey, how do you like your eggs?' Maggie asked from behind me. When I didn't answer, she repeated my name.

"Oh, sorry," I apologized and turned toward her in time to see a sleepy Eric scratching his head as he walked toward the kitchen. "I'm not hungry anymore. Please excuse me."

I scampered out of the kitchen through the swinging door that led into the living room before Eric could catch up to me. I circled back to the bedroom and closed the door quietly just before my very teary eyes lost the fight. I cried quietly while listening to Eric and Maggie exchange greetings, and probably hugs. I refused to throw myself down on the bed and have a tantrum like I wanted to.

Instead, I reached for my phone and for the first time in a long time, I dialed Hadley's number. It was probably way too early to be calling her, but I didn't care. If she wanted to talk, now was the time.

**EPOV**

I woke up fully expecting to find Sookie on the other side of the bed, but when I reached out for her I felt nothing. Even worse, the sheets weren't warm so she'd been up for a while. I rolled over and opened one eye just enough to see what time it was. Shit, barely after sunrise and she was already up?

I noticed the bedroom door was open a sliver and a few seconds later the smell of coffee hit me full force. If it hit me, no doubt it had hit Sookie as well. If there was coffee in the kitchen, no doubt that was where I would find her. I closed my eyes for a few more minutes but then the sound of someone banging around in the kitchen forced them open again.

Lazily, I pushed myself out of bed and forced my legs to walk. After a quick pit stop in the bathroom, I headed toward the kitchen in hopes of finding Sookie. I stretched and scratched my head as I walked, not really paying attention to where I was going or what I was doing. When I got to the kitchen there were two mugs on the table and I barely had time to brace myself before Aunt Maggie threw herself at me in excitement.

"God morgon!" Aunt Maggie greeted me in perfectly accented Swedish, which I won't lie, was nice to hear.

Not that Sookie and Michele hadn't tried their hardest, but their American southern accents prevented them from saying the words quite right. All the same, it was adorable to watch them try. I squeezed Aunt Maggie tightly, wondering where the hell my Sookie was, and responded in my native tongue.

"Har do sovit bra?" she asked me with a look of concern.

"I slept fine, Mags," I smiled at her.

"Coffee?" she pointed to the pot.

"No thanks, that's more Sookie's thing." Before I could even ask where she was, since I was sure Aunt Maggie knew, she answered for me.

"Jag tror att du är i hunden huset." Maggie informed me with a disapproving look.

"What could I be in the dog house for? We didn't fight," I told her. And we hadn't, at least not that I could remember.

I vaguely remembered a rather raunchy dream I'd had the night before. Maybe I had groped Sookie in her sleep? I shook my head, trying to remember what I had done that would make her angry with me. We had been getting along well, for the most part. We had our fights but we always made up after them. I was looking forward to spending the day with her now that we'd had the chance to get some rest.

"You didn't tell her about your service," Maggie narrowed her eyes at me.

"My service?" I quirked an eyebrow in response.

"Don't tell me you forgot you have to spend a few years in the military before you can do anything else? Or maybe you were planning to evade your duty like your father did?" Maggie shook her head.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath.

"Yeah, shit." Maggie rolled her eyes at me. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"I never really thought about it. It won't be a career for me, Mags."

"Not the point," Maggie whacked me with a spatula.

"Ouch!" I rubbed my shoulder while she proceeded to tell me what a jerk I was for not being more up front with Sookie. "Aunt Maggie, I never meant to keep it from her."

"Well, you better go tell her that because she looked pretty devastated over it. She made it sound like you were leaving her for no good reason at the end of summer." Maggie stared right at me and shook her head.

"It's not like I can stay here! I don't have a job I'm uniquely qualified for and I won't marry her to get a green card out of the deal." I said firmly.

"Then you better go grovel with her before she starts thinking bad things." Maggie sighed.

"Why would she think bad things?" I tilted my head.

"Because you lied to her and she's in love with you!" Maggie threw her hands up in the air. She cursed me out in quiet Swedish while she started cracking eggs into a bowl. "Don't just stand there, Eric; go talk to her!"

I nodded and then headed back toward the bedroom Sookie and I were sharing. I stopped when I heard her talking inside the room. At first I thought maybe she was talking to Pam, but then Pam's bedroom door was still closed with her 'do not disturb' sign hanging from the knob.

"I don't know what to do. Why wouldn't he tell me about this unless he never planned to talk to me again after this summer?" Sookie asked whoever she was on the phone with. She sounded sad and angry all at once and I wanted to kick my own ass for not telling her about the mandatory military training sooner.

I really hadn't meant to keep it from her. It wasn't as if I had a choice in the matter of whether or not I joined the military. Yes, I could evade it like my father had and spend the next few years out of the country attending university, but I couldn't do that. Deep down, there was a part of me that was looking forward to it just a little. Of course, it would mean seeing Sookie would be harder but she was going to be in school. It wasn't as if she could just get on a plane anytime she wanted to come see me anyway.

I went back to the kitchen, thinking it wasn't quite right to stand outside the door and listen to the conversation she was having with whoever she was talking to. I owed her her privacy and if she was as upset as Maggie described, it was best to give Sookie some time to cool off anyway. Maggie shot me a disapproving look when I walked back into the room.

"That was quick," she clearly knew I hadn't gone in to talk to Sookie.

"She's on the phone with someone. I'll talk to her after breakfast." I assured Maggie who just shook her head.

"It won't be any easier then, you know."

I nodded and then offered to set the table. By the time breakfast was ready, Sookie still hadn't come out of the bedroom. So much for having a nice day in Chicago together.

* * *

**Okay, so in doing research on the mandatory military service in Sweden (which I wouldn't know if ASkars hadn't been a Swedish Marine *tucks in obsession*), I learned that the law requiring such service was actually repealed in July of 2010. However, this story takes place prior to that date so the law is still in full effect as far as I'm concerned for the purposes of this story. So there. Hopefully it won't take me too long to finish up this story since there really are a limited number of chapters left. Thanks for reading!**


	24. I Belong to You

**Okay, so a HUGE thank you to _Evl666_ whose hubs is from Sweden and was able to provide some intel on the training they go through there. Thank you for informing me or I never would have known!**

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Chapter 24: I Belong to You

I actually felt better after talking to Hadley. It wasn't so much what she said as the fact that she had listened to me. She hadn't tried to address anything that was in the emails she'd sent me. Just knowing I could still talk to her the way I used to made me feel better. She let me talk in circles until finally telling me the most obvious thing.

"Sook, all I can tell you is to look in your heart. Do you really think he would try to hurt you on purpose? If you do, then come on home and we'll figure things out. If not, then get off the phone with me and go talk to him about. Give him the chance to explain before ya go jumping to conclusions." Hadley advised. It was remarkably good advice for barely being seven in the morning.

She was right; I knew it. I just couldn't seem to talk myself out of leaving the bedroom. I wasn't sure why I felt like I'd been broadsided but I did. We'd had all that time to talk and we'd talked about so many trivial things that it baffled me that he hadn't considered this important enough to discuss. He'd made it seem like he had no plans and clearly, that wasn't the case.

I was taking deep breaths and wiping my tears off my cheeks when there was a knock on the bedroom door two seconds before Eric's face appeared. "Can I come in?"

I nodded but turned my face away from his. I'd cried in front of him enough and quite honestly, I was getting sick of doing it. I knew relationships had their ups and downs but… I guess I just wasn't prepared for it since the two of us never really fought over anything serious before we met face to face. What was it about being in a room together that had changed all that?

The door clicked closed and in the blink of an eye, Eric was standing in front of me. I was eye level with his waist and couldn't bring myself to look up into his eyes. I was sure whatever was there would break me and I really didn't want to start crying again. But then Eric's fingers were under my chin, tilting it up until my eyes found his.

"Why didn't you tell me?" My traitor voice cracked and my lower lip started to tremble. Dammit.

"Sookie, I…" he trailed off, clearly upset with himself.

"We've been driving around for weeks now, Eric. We've talked about everything and nothing at all. Not once did you think, 'hey, maybe I should tell my girlfriend I'm going into the Swedish military when I get home because I have to.' Why did you hide it from me, Eric? Why am I only hearing about this now, and from your aunt, of all people?" I searched his eyes, hoping to see something there I might be able to grasp onto but he looked about as lost as I felt.

"I should have told you. I'm sorry I didn't." Eric apologized and knelt down so we were eye to eye with one another. "I didn't bring it up because I honestly haven't given it much thought. I don't have a whole lot of choice in the matter unless I want to dodge it like my father did. I've known from the time I was young I was going to have to do this. If we had talked about us staying together in a physical sense, I would have told you much sooner."

"So when were you planning on telling me?" I glared at him.

Eric shrugged and said, "I honestly don't know."

I squeezed my eyes closed and stood up. "I can't be near you right now."

"Sookie, wait, don't leave like this." Eric stood up and tried to pull me back to him but I jerked away.

"Don't touch me, Eric. I told you everything. I told you things I never told anybody else. I never lied to you. Ever." I couldn't think of anything else to say but it seemed yanking my hand out of Eric's was worse than anything I could have said anyway.

I left the room before the tears started up again and I went straight to the bathroom and locked myself in. I started the shower and quickly stripped off my clothes before climbing in. I stood under the barely warm water, not really caring much about that at all while I let myself sob. I could only hope the shower was loud enough to cover the noise I was making, even though I tried to keep it down.

I took my time in there, figuring I might as well get it all out before I washed up. Eric and I had planned to go back to the museum campus down on Michigan Avenue but I wasn't sure I wanted to be around him anymore. Maybe I'd just spend the day at the beach, watching the waves break. Or maybe I'd take a bus over to Navy Pier and go on one of the boat tours I'd read about before we left Louisiana. Maybe a day of learning about Chicago architecture would take my mind off things.

Then again, I knew I would see something interesting and get all sad that Eric wasn't sitting there next to me to witness it. With a towel wrapped around me, I peeked out of the bathroom to make sure the coast was clear before going back across the hall to the bedroom. The room was empty which was both a relief and disappointing at the same time. I was torn between being extremely angry with Eric and feeling like he was slipping away from me and I didn't know how to handle it.

I found a pair of jean shorts and a tank top to wear. After combing my hair out I coiled it up in a bun at the nape of my neck and put on a little mascara. I slathered on sun block and made sure I had all the necessary items in my purse before leaving the room. Eric was alone in the living room, flipping through TV channels rather absently.

"Where are you going?" he asked, sitting up straight and dropping the remote.

"I'm not sure. I just need some space." I told him and hoped he would ask me to wait for him.

Instead, Eric sank back against the couch in defeat. "I guess I'll see you later then."

I steeled myself and said, "Yeah, I guess you will."

Before I could cave in and go back to him, I turned around and walked out.

**EPOV**

Watching Sookie leave wasn't easy. It felt like there was something I should have said to keep her from leaving but I just didn't know what those words were. I never meant to hurt her and there really wasn't a malicious intent behind not telling her about going into the military. Still, I knew I owed her a better explanation than 'I forgot.' Even to me that sounded stupid.

I stayed on the couch for longer than I should have, trying to figure out what to do next. The obvious answer was to go after her but since I had no idea where she'd gone, that wasn't going to be easy. We'd planned on going to the Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum but I had no way of knowing if that's where she was headed or not.

She looked like she might have been dressed for the beach, but again, I wasn't sure. So instead of going after her, I sat there on Aunt Maggie's couch like a loser. That is, until Pam emerged from her bedroom looking like she hadn't slept at all, despite the sleeping mask she'd pushed up to her forehead. After stopping for what could only be described as a bucket of coffee, she sat down on the other end of the couch.

"Where's the delicious little girlfriend of yours?" Pam purred as she inhaled the steam from her mug.

"We're…she's…we had a rough morning," I sighed and stared down at my hands that were fiddling with the hem of my tank top.

"What'd you do?" Pam sighed.

"Why do you assume it's me?" I glared at Pam.

"Because you're a dead ringer for Eeyore right now, that's why. If it was _her_ fault you were in this mess, you'd be more pissed off than melancholy." Pam matched my glare.

"You know who Eeyore is? That's impressive." I smirked at her and she gave me the finger. Nice.

"Fine. Your girlfriend is out there in some unfamiliar city with God knows who following her around and she has no idea where she's going or what parts of the city to avoid. I can guarantee ain't no part of Chicago anything like that Mayberry town she comes from. So you want to sit there and be a pouty little bitch, that's fine. Just remember, I tried to help." Pam said and stood up on wobbly legs.

"Pam, wait!" I sighed and sat up. "I didn't tell her that I have to go into the military when I get back to Sweden."

Pam shrugged and said, "So? Was she expecting you to stay?"

"No, but I still should have told her. I was going to."

"Was she planning on going back to Sweden with you?" Pam popped her hip out, looking bored with me already.

"No, she starts college in a few weeks back in Louisiana." I rubbed my palms against my closed eyes.

"So then I don't see the issue here." Pam shrugged again.

"Well, your mother told her before I got the chance to."

Pam cackled and said, "Of course she did. Maggie never did know when to keep her mouth shut."

I rolled my eyes, tired of hearing Pam complain about Maggie. The two of them were a lot more alike than either of them wanted to admit, which was part of the reason they fought so much. Pam returned to the couch and set her coffee down on the end table.

"You realize that sitting here on the couch isn't going to get her back, right? If you want her, go get her."

"She said she wanted space," I shrugged.

Pam rolled her eyes again and said, "Of course she did! Here's the thing…most girls, when they say that, what they really want is for you to go after them. I'm willing to bet Sookie is no different."

"I don't want to leave her, Pam." I confided and it felt good to get it off my chest. "I hate that I have to."

"Who says you have to? You could get married," she smirked that evil smirk of hers.

"No," I shook my head. "No, I won't marry her like that. If we ever get to that point, it will be because I can't live without her, and not because I need documentation."

Pam sighed and said, "Get off the couch, take a shower, get dressed and then find out where she is. You two need to talk this out."

"I don't-"

"Stop making excuses and for the love of God, stop whining! It's hardly attractive on children, let alone grown men. Locate your balls, decide how you feel and then go tell her." Pam rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might pop out of her head. "Honestly, how is it a mystery I prefer the company of women?"

After a few more minutes of moping and being berated by Pam, I decided she was right. I did as she said and went to take a shower and get dressed. Remarkably, by the time I was getting ready to call Sookie, I found my phone on the coffee table which was definitely not where I'd left it. Pam was also missing from the apartment. When I looked at my last call, it was to Sookie ten minutes before.

"Dammit, Pam!" I shouted, then grabbed the phone and headed for the door.

I had no idea where I was going but I figured calling Sookie was a good start. Unfortunately, the call went to voicemail which was absolutely no help. I tried Pam's cell but she didn't pick up either. I growled in the elevator, thinking she couldn't have that much of a head start on me. Since I had no idea which way was which, I was lost almost immediately. Grid system or not, I was fucked.

I stopped at the corner, took a deep breath and hoped that one of the two women who were avoiding me would call back soon.

**SPOV**

I answered the phone because I thought it was Eric calling me. Instead it was Pam, which wasn't an altogether bad thing but I wasn't really sure I wanted to confide in her. She insisted on meeting me somewhere, so I stopped at the café I was standing in front of. When I told her where I was, she promised she'd be there in twenty minutes. I went inside and ordered a ridiculously overpriced iced coffee and claimed a table near the window so Pam would see me sitting there.

I watched people walking along and tried not to stare too hard at the couples. I'd see the way their hands were linked together and I had to look away. Regardless of whether or not Eric and I were able to get past this, the simple fact remained that there was an expiration date on our relationship, at least in some capacity. I didn't regret a single second of our trip but I knew trying to downshift it to the way we were before we met face to face was going to be extremely hard.

It wasn't like Eric was going home to Maine or Washington; he was leaving the country. And on top of that, he was leaving the country to learn how to kill people. I didn't have a problem with the fact that he was going into the military, really I didn't. The problem was that he hadn't thought to tell me about it. It wasn't as though this was something he just decided randomly, but something he'd known about since he was young.

Had it really just slipped his mind? I wasn't sure I bought into that. I sipped my coffee and kept on staring at the people walking by without really seeing any of them. True to her word, Pam entered the café a short time later. Her hair was pulled back and hidden under a baseball cap and her eyes were hidden behind a large pair of sunglasses that would make Bono or Audrey Hepburn proud. I was guessing she'd dressed and run out of the house, something she probably didn't do very often.

"My cousin is a twat," Pam said as she took her seat across from me, then looked around for a waitress.

Okay, definitely not what I was expecting her to say, but she had my attention. "Excuse me?" I asked just to be sure I heard right.

"You heard me. Here's the deal, Sookie. Eric doesn't want to leave but he has to. I'm guessing based on the wounded Bambi look on your face you don't want him to leave either. And while all this teen angst might be fun for a minute, it's going to cause you premature wrinkles. You didn't ask for my advice but you're going to get it anyway. Don't let your pride get in your way. I'm not a theological person but I seem to recall something about love not being prideful. He was stupid not to tell you what his plans were but what does it really change? Nothing. In the end, he's still going back to Sweden and you're going to school in Louisiana. Enjoy the time you have left, fuck your brains out and enjoy this summer for what it is because you'll never get it back." Pam advised and looked around the restaurant. "Who do I have to shank with my stiletto to get a cup of coffee in this dump?"

"I'll get it," I offered and hopped up.

Pam didn't pull any punches, I'd give her that. I got her plain black coffee she could doctor any way she wanted since I didn't know how she took it, and a couple of plain bagels as well. When I got back to the table, Pam crinkled her nose.

"I don't do carbs," she said while staring directly at the offending bagel I'd placed in front of her.

"Sorry," I pulled the plate away and took a seat.

We sat quietly for a while with Pam drinking her coffee and me chewing on the bagel Pam had rejected. "How can you eat that?"

"It's a bagel, Pam, not a kitten," I smirked at her.

"A kitten would probably be better for you," she shrugged and I nearly choked. "So are you going to try and work things out with Eric, or will you be booking a flight home to mommy and daddy?"

I took another bite of my bagel since I wasn't really ready to answer that question. Pam shook her head but said nothing else. So far, my morning was pretty much an experiment in failing.

**o.O.o.O.o**

I spent the day walking mostly aimlessly around the city. I finally made my way to Navy Pier and after walking around the little mall, I sat on the boardwalk people watching and thinking about the situation I was in. It wasn't going to get any easier and I realized I was at a crossroads. If I was going to cut ties with Eric, which I didn't want, this was the time to do it. Watching him get on that plane for home was going to break my heart.

I knew Pam had a good point, however. The summer was going to end much faster than either Eric or I wanted it to and I didn't want to look back on it with any regrets. Was it better to protect my heart and get out before it started to hurt even more, or should I let go and give myself over to all the things I was feeling?

I lost track of how long I sat there for and before I knew it, the sun was starting to set. My stomach rumbled since I hadn't eaten anything since the bagel earlier that morning in the café with Pam. Given my current emotional state, ice cream seemed like a perfectly rational dinner choice so I went to the little Ben and Jerry's stand inside the mall and got a double scoop of Cherry Garcia to eat on one of the benches outside.

The hot, sticky weather outside reminded me of home and at that moment there wasn't much I wouldn't trade to be able to crawl into my Mama's lap and tell her all my problems. Since that wasn't an option, sublimating my need for comfort with too many empty calories was going to have to do. When I was finished, I got up to toss the cup in the garbage can. I was walking toward the giant Ferris wheel when I heard my name being called.

I turned to see Eric approaching me quickly and before I even knew I'd made the decision I was running toward him. He swept me up in one of those big bear hugs, the kind I'd gotten when he first saw me at the airport. My mind shifted back to that day and how happy I was to see him. My feelings hadn't changed much since then and just the simple act of being in his arms brought me more comfort than a metric ton of ice cream ever could.

"I'm so sorry, Sookie," he whispered in my ear. "I should have told you. I'm sorry."

Before I could respond his lips were on mine and I felt that feverish need to be somewhere private and naked with him. I missed him. God, just a few hours apart and I was a wreck. How the hell was I going to survive being away from him after he left? I pushed that thought right of my mind and decided I needed to focus on the present.

We stood there, holding onto each other and kissing until a series of hoots and whistles forced us to break it up. "How did you find me?" I asked once Eric had an arm wrapped around me and I was leaning into him as we walked.

"Lucky guess," he shrugged.

"I've been here almost all day, just sitting and watching everyone else. They all seem so happy."

"I hate that I made you sad. I never meant for that to happen."

"I know," I looked up at him. "And I know you didn't mean to keep things from me in a bad way but that doesn't make it hurt any less."

"I had a lot of time to think," Eric said as we hailed a cab. Once we were settled and the driver had instructions to take us to North Avenue beach, Eric continued, "I came to the realization that I belong to you. I belong _with_ you. And I know right now there are obstacles in the way of that happening but I would rather sacrifice some things now than not have you in my life at all. I love you too much, Sookie."

God, when he said the right things, he was _so_ right it was scary. I nodded, my eyes filling with tears of agreement. Much to the dismay of the cab driver, Eric and I ended up making out the rest of the way to the beach. When we arrived, Eric paid the driver and followed me out of the cab. Hand in hand, we walked down to the sand and slipped off our shoes. I tucked my sandals into my bag and then we walked along the shore, the cold water licking at our toes and ankles as we went. Well, okay, my shins and Eric's ankles.

We walked until it was almost dark and we'd talked about what he was going to do when he got back home. He was thinking of joining the Air Force, thinking it might be cool to learn to fly a plane. He explained the training wasn't as intense as it was in the American military, from all he had read. He would have nights off and would be able to sleep at home sometimes, so it wasn't like we would have to lose all contact with each other the way we would if he were to join the military here while he was in basic training. I knew Sweden was a peace loving country without much conflict in it which made everything easier but still…should something happen in a rather unstable world, I didn't like the idea of him having to get in it and I told him so.

"I promise to be safe, my Sookie," he kissed the back of my hand.

"I'd feel better if there was a way to make you bulletproof," I sighed and leaned against him.

Since we were both well past starving by full dark, we headed over to the boathouse to grab dinner at a place called Castaways. We each ordered a cheeseburger and a couple of lemonades. At first I was sure there was no way I would ever be able to finish the half pound burger I ordered, but I managed to get down three quarters of it before admitting defeat. Eric, on the other hand, finished his and what was left of mine and was still hungry. The man was a machine when it came to food.

With the sun gone, the air had chilled just a little and there was a very nice cool breeze coming in off the lake. Our waitress left her name and phone number on our bill, which made me want to shank her in the neck with the toothpick that had been holding my burger together. More than once she'd made a comment about how nice it was that Eric was taking his 'little sister' out for the night and even though he had corrected her with my proper status in his life, she didn't seem to be listening. Bitch cut her own tip down to almost nothing by the time we were ready to go.

By the time we got back to Maggie's apartment, it was almost midnight. Pam was gone, which wasn't a surprise, and Maggie was sound asleep already. As soon as we got to our bedroom, I was stripping off my clothes. The look in Eric's eyes when he turned around made me freeze for just a second. The way he looked at me could be so intense sometimes it took my breath away and that was definitely one of those moments. He started to remove his own clothes but I stopped him before he could get his boxers off.

"Come with me," I smiled at him.

"I was planning to," he stared at my bare breasts and licked his lips.

"Across the hall, Eric," I rolled my eyes and grabbed my towel from earlier.

He followed me to the bathroom and made sure to lock the door behind himself. I started the water in the shower, knowing there was no way I'd be able to sleep with all the salt and grime stuck to me from being outside almost all day. Eric followed me into the shower and no sooner were we both wet than he had me up against the wall. He didn't kiss me, though. For a minute he just stared at me, tracing the lines of my face with his thumb, which I kissed when it passed my lips.

He looked like he wanted to say something but either he couldn't find the words or he just wasn't ready to say them. Instead, he leaned down and kissed me in a way that left very little doubt as to what was on his mind. It never ceased to amaze me the sort of feelings that could be passed through a kiss, and sometimes it was better than hearing the actual words someone wanted to say. My arms snaked around his neck and he gently lifted me off the floor.

On instinct, my legs went around his waist and locked behind his back, pulling him closer to me. He rocked his hips against mine, making his already very noticeable excitement impossible to ignore. For maybe the first time ever, I paid attention to the noises he made while we were kissing and it fanned a fire that was growing inside me. The little moans, grunts, growls and whatever else escaped him were sexy as hell, as was the gasp when I reached between us to stroke him.

His lips landed on my neck, kissing, nibbling and sucking gently on one side and then the other until his mouth settled on mine again. I was shaking and he wasn't even inside me yet. Assuming I was cold, he reached out and moved the shower head so the warm water hit the right side of my body but being cold had nothing to do with it.

"Eric, I need you inside me," I whispered against his lips and he was more than willing to grant my request.

There was a subtle shift in our positions and then he was entering me slowly with our eyes locked in one of those intense stares that made my heart beat faster than I thought possible and it almost hurt to breathe. I could feel a ball of emotion clogging my throat and a fresh batch of tears stung my eyes. Eric stopped, even though he was only half way in and looked at me with concern.

"Are you not ready?" he asked sweetly.

I shook my head and said, "I'm ready. I love you."

He leaned forward to kiss me again and buried himself inside me. My heart felt like it was going to explode and the slow, sweet movement of him inside me made me feel like I was going to explode in a few other ways. Thankfully I had his neck and mouth available to stifle my moans because the last thing I needed was for Maggie to wake up and hear what we were up to. My fingernails dug into his back as the momentum of his thrusts began to gather and it was hard to say if I was breathless from kissing or the pleasure I was feeling.

Whatever the reason, I felt like I was floating out of my own body as a result and when my orgasm crashed down on me, the only thing that kept me from feeling like I was completely gone was the strong grip Eric had on my backside. His lips had just closed around one of my nipples when he had his own minute. I gasped for air, my body desperate to keep him inside me even though I knew that wasn't possible.

Gently, he pulled out of me a few seconds later but didn't set me down right away. I was definitely shaking and there was no way my legs were going to hold me up just yet. But Eric didn't seem to mind the weight. When he did let me down, he reached for the bottle of body wash that was in the little caddy hanging from the shower head, and poured some of the almond butter scented soap into his hands.

We washed each other off and the special attention he placed on the space between my legs was an unspoken promise of a round two that would happen once we were dried off and in bed. When we were all clean, we got out of the shower and I wrapped myself up in the towel I'd brought with me. Eric located another under the sink and while he was bent down to retrieve it, I reached out and pinched that gorgeous ass of his the way I'd wanted to since the minute I met him.

"Mine," I said and he looked over his shoulder with a smile.

"Yes, lover, I belong to you," he winked at me and then grabbed his towel.

"Good. Now let's go to bed and I'll show you that I belong to you, too." I smiled up at him while he growled at me in that sexy, caveman way I had come to associate with amazing sex and all things Eric.

* * *

**Alright, so for those of you who thought Sookie needed to be more mature in her reactions, I agree with you. However, I ask you to remember these two really are still kids in a lot of ways and for her, at least, this is the first serious relationship she's been in. Eric's had girlfriends before but none of them have mattered to him as much as Sookie and they're in a rather unique situation at this point. Not just because of the distance or the fact that he's going to be going home soon, but because they're traveling together and don't really have anyone else to rely on but each other. It's stressful as much as it is amazing. So, anyway...just try and be patient with her, yeah? Thanks for reading!**

**Oh! And d. designs, you'll get your suggestion in the next chapter. Promise.  
**


	25. I Wish I Was the Moon

**I won't even bother to make excuses as to why it's been so long since I updated this story. Suffice it to say that the muses are tricky bitches who come and go as they please. This is a short chapter, but hopefully one you enjoy. And to d. designs, I didn't forget about your suggestion. See you at the bottom!**

* * *

Chapter 25: I Wish I Was the Moon

**SPOV**

"Should we just camp here for the night?" I suggested as Eric and I stood alongside a small pond in some tiny town in Kentucky. I didn't even know the name of the town we were in.

"Sure," he agreed, and kissed the side of my head before turning back for the car to get our gear out.

We were old pros at setting up camp by that point. Just that morning we had left Chicago. Our time there had flown by once Eric and I got past that little hiccup of him going home to join the Swedish military. I wasn't angry about it anymore, and I understood that there really wasn't anything to be done about it. Eric was doing it only because it was required by law, and not because it was something he felt passionately about. He would enlist, serve for the mandatory amount of time and then go on with his life.

The time we spent in Chicago had been good because it had forced us to talk more about our future beyond when he went home. I had been so stuck on how hard it was going to be to say goodbye to him that I hadn't given much thought to how wonderful it would be to say hello when we were face to face again. We talked about the possibility of me across the pond to see him over Christmas break, but I had a feeling that was more like wishful thinking than something that was actually going to happen.

I didn't ask him to stay in America, although I desperately wanted him to. He didn't ask me to give up college and follow him back home. For the time being, it seemed, we were destined to be separated from one another. We were also determined to figure out a way to make it work with all those thousands of miles between us. According to a website I'd found it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000. That's a lot of miles.

Pam had been an excellent tour guide, taking us all over the city to see everything worth seeing. Eric had laughed at me when I freaked out at being at the top of the Sears Tower—Pam refused to call it by its new name. We were well over 1000 feet off the ground, and because it had been a clear day I was able to see all the way to Michigan. It was pretty amazing, actually, as long as I didn't look straight down too much.

I had eaten more deep dish pizza than was probably healthy, and had most definitely gained back some of the weight I'd lost thanks to the Chicago mix of Garrett's popcorn. Who knew caramel corn and cheesy popcorn would taste so good together? Eric and I were sneaking handfuls of it like it was laced with crack, which it may very well have been since every time we passed the tin we seemed to take more. It was insane.

Pam took us to a night game at Wrigley Field, which was also a lot of fun. I liked the energy of the city, and realized that of all the places we had been, if I was ever going to leave Louisiana it was Chicago that I would settle in. For as large as the city was it had a neighborhood feel to it. We had gone out to the suburbs once or twice just so we could see more of the outlying area, and Pam had shown us the houses designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in Oak Park.

Time had moved way too quickly.

"Should we bother with the tent?" Eric asked from the back of the SUV.

I turned toward him and shrugged, "It's not supposed to rain. Sleeping under the stars might be nice. I missed seeing them when we were in Chicago."

Too much pollution from all of the industrial buildings, cars and the airport made seeing the night sky a very different experience from what I was used to. There was an odd orangish hue to the sky when it was cloudy, even in the middle of the night. I had never seen anything like it before, but to Pam it was just like any other night. According to the weather report we had checked from the car, the skies were supposed to be clear and there had been a break in the heat for that time of year.

It would be a beautiful night to sleep outside.

Eric and I picked up our sleeping bags and tossed them onto the grass. There was a small fire pit that suggested we weren't the first to spend a night in the same spot. We went looking for firewood to get a fire going before dark. The heat wasn't necessary, but the light certainly was. It was a shame we didn't have the necessary equipment for fishing. I had gone more times than I could count with my father, and I suddenly wondered if Eric knew how.

"Do you know how to fish?" I asked Eric while I gathered up pine cones.

"No," he smiled over at me. "My parents are not what you would call the outdoor types. They're too stuffy and academic."

"What did you do with your father when you were a child?" I asked him.

He shrugged and said, "Not much. My parents weren't very hands-on with me. Once in a while my father would take me to see a football game, but he didn't like it the same as I did. Someday, if I have a son, it will be different."

"You would do more things with your children?"

"I would try to at least understand what they are passionate about if their interests aren't the same as my own. My father would like nothing better than for me to be like him, but that isn't who I am."

"I can't imagine you sitting behind a desk for forty hours a week crunching numbers and pushing papers," I agreed with him.

"The world needs accountants, but I'm not cut out to be one of them," Eric picked up another piece of wood.

"You have time to figure it out, Eric. Maybe the time in the military will help you realize what you want to do with the rest of your life," I said as we walked along.

He suddenly stopped walking, dropped the wood he was holding and reached for my hand. I turned back to face him, and the look in his eyes was intense.

"I already know what I want for the rest of my life. I'm holding it right now," he squeezed my hand.

I dropped my pine cone collection and closed the distance between us. He kissed me fiercely, lifting me up off the ground as he did so. My legs wrapped around him and our mission to collect firewood was temporarily forgotten when he started walking back toward came. A new mission had come to light that was far more important.

* * *

**EPOV**

I traced the curve of her side, from her breast to her hip, and watched as goose bumps rose on her tan skin. It was the quiet moments like those that I would miss the most once I was back in Sweden without her. Sookie hummed a tune I didn't know, but that wasn't unusual. She rolled onto her back suddenly and stared up at the full moon above our heads.

We never did get a fire going, but it turned out we didn't need it. The moon was light enough for us. Her hand reached for mine, and our fingers laced together. Sookie angled her head so that it was leaned toward mine. I looked over to see the rising and falling of her chest with every breath she took. Once again I was struck with the feeling that if I had been born a poet, I would be working on yet another epic piece in regards to her breasts.

They truly were spectacular.

"What are you humming?" I finally asked her.

"Just an old song my mother used to sing under her breath when she was doing chores," Sookie spoke softly. "I don't know what it's called."

"It's pretty," I lifted her hand and kissed the back of it.

"What's your favorite song?" Sookie asked me.

"You're going to laugh," I predicted and Sookie rolled on her side.

"Oh no, it's not something by the Spice Girls or Abba, is it?" she teased.

"Hardly," I laughed at the image of what my parents would have done if I had taken a shine for a silly British group of female pop singers. My father would have been convinced I was gay, that's for sure.

"So, what is it?" she urged.

"I Can't Get No Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones," I told her, and found it hard to believe I had never told her that before.

"Seriously?" she laughed, and I nodded. "I never would have guessed."

"What about you?" I asked when she stopped laughing.

Sookie thought for a moment before she said, "Let's Stay Together by Al Green."

"I don't think I've ever heard that before," I admitted, while trying to search my mind for the tune of the song.

"I have it on my iPod if you want to hear it," she offered.

I nodded, and Sookie got up to go retrieve her iPod from the car. She came back a moment later with the little device in her hand and unwound the ear buds. She handed one to me and put the other in her ear. Her thumb moved around the little wheel until she found what she was searching for, and then she pushed the 'play' button.

It was obvious the song was an older one, and I could appreciate that seeing as how my own favorite song wasn't exactly a current chart topper. I liked that Sookie wasn't a girl who jumped on a bandwagon just because she could. She liked what she liked, regardless of what anyone else thought of it. While most girls were probably bopping around to Lady Gaga or Katy Perry, Sookie was listening to something much more soulful.

"How did you get into this?" I asked her.

"My parents," she smiled. "This was their wedding song."

I laughed and said, "You're such a sap."

"You shush!" she elbowed me playfully, but it just spawned a little wrestling match there on the grass beside the pond.

Her iPod was tossed out of the way to keep it from being damaged while we goofed around. Naked wrestling with Sookie was excellent for so many reasons, but the best was that she was more than willing to let me pin her under me. The playfulness turned to something more serious, and when she stretched forward to kiss me I got lost in it pretty quickly. My lips were busy at her neck when her hand wrapped around my cock, and she started to stroke me.

She shifted herself so that I was looking into her eyes and she whispered, "Make love to me."

I didn't need to be told twice, and when she guided me inside her it was one of the most amazing feelings. Being inside her was my favorite place to be. When I wasn't, I was plotting ways to make that happen. I would gladly stay there all the time if it was possible. As it was, I savored it for as long as I could.

We rolled over and she sat up, bracing her hands on my chest. Her hips moved in an almost hypnotic way, back and forth, back and forth, rocking over me over and over. My hands moved to her breasts, and I slowly sat up so we were eye to eye. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and she stared deep into my eyes while she moved up and down. Her breathing became more erratic, and I could feel the thudding of her heart against my chest.

No words were exchanged, but we didn't need them. The feeling of her slowly coming apart around me told me more than her words ever could, and by the time I came inside her she was already shivering and shaking in my arms.

How was I going to let her go in just a couple of weeks?

We needed more time.

I kissed her softly, and brushed her hair back from her face. In that moment it was like the rest of the world had faded away. She was all I saw, and all that mattered.

"I didn't know I would feel like this," I whispered against her lips, my eyes locked on hers.

"Me either," she whispered back, and when a tear escaped her right eye, I turned her face so I could kiss the spot.

I tasted the salty sweetness of her tear on my lips, and she turned her face again to kiss me. She sat there in my arms for a long time before finally climbing off my lap and pushing me onto my back so she could snuggle alongside of me.

Sookie looked up at the moon and with longing her voice she said, "I wish I was the moon. Then once you're gone I could see you anytime I want."

I knew exactly how she felt because I felt the same way.

* * *

**So short and sweet, but it got them out of Chicago and on their way home. I think part of the reason I was struggling with this was because I was so unsure of the ending. I had something in mind, but it wasn't really washing with me. So after doing some thinking while driving last week I came to a new conclusion and could finally see the ending of this story. I'm not sure how many chapters are left, but I want to say less than fifteen. We'll see. At least I have some direction for it now. I'm going to try and get as much of this out as I can before the muses disappear on me again. Thanks so much for reading!**


	26. Our Kind of Love

**If this site wasn't being so damn fail, you would have had this yesterday *grumblegrumble* but you have it now. I'm working on 27 so you'll have that soon too. I love when the muses get chatty and don't want to stfu. See you at the bottom!**

* * *

Chapter 26: Our Kind of Love

**EPOV**

We decided to spend our last night alone together on the road in Memphis. I had become quite fond of barbecue in the last couple of weeks and just about everywhere I looked in Memphis there was somewhere to get some. Since it was our last night alone together Sookie and I had planned from the beginning to do something special for it. Before we even got started on the road trip we had decided we would spend our last night on the road at the Heartbreak Hotel.

What was the point of seeing Memphis if we weren't going to stop at Graceland? So that was where we headed after we left Kentucky. Our hands seemed to be fused together because it was rare for us not to be holding the other one's hand. We walked the halls of Graceland itself with our fingers laced together, pausing to take pictures with our cell phones since flash photography wasn't allowed. It was amusing to see how many people showed up that were diehard fans.

I liked Elvis, as did Sookie, but it was obvious neither of us was going to dress up like him or Priscilla. Over all it was a fun experience, and by the time the tour was over we were both ready to go eat. We ended up stopping for what the locals told us was the best fried chicken in all of Memphis before going back to the Heartbreak Hotel for the night. It was still relatively early when we got back to the hotel so we changed into our swimsuits and went down to the heart-shaped pool.

The whole thing was kind of cheesy, but pretty much what we expected when we decided to stay there. Sookie was floating on her back, and I was watching the water ebb against her stomach. The sun was setting, and the fading light made her even more beautiful than usual. She seemed to have a golden glow to her, and it became increasingly more difficult not to attack her right there where everyone could see.

"So, Eric, what do you think of America?" Sookie asked me once we were both holding onto the side of the pool and floating lazily.

"I think as much as I've seen, I'd like to see more. Maybe do it a little more slowly next time," I told her. "But I'm glad I'm getting to see where you grew up. It explains a lot about you."

"Like what?" she asked curiously, turning over so I could just barely see her butt surfacing out of the water.

"You are a lot like your mother," I said, and Sookie smiled. "But then I see where you get your sense of humor from because of your father. Getting to spend time in the places you do, meeting the people who are your friends, just being in your life in a real way has changed the way I see you. I always had this idea of who you are in my head and I what I found here is so much better than the idea I had."

"So what was your favorite stop on the tour?" Sookie asked me.

"Mmmm... I don't know. Probably when we had that flat tire," I leered at her, and she blushed accordingly. "What about you?"

"Last night in Kentucky," she admitted.

"You like being naked in public," I teased, and she gasped.

"Shut up!" she slapped at my arm, but I continued to laugh.

"You look good naked, lover," I said and she rolled her eyes.

"Keep talking about it and that'll be the last time you see me naked for the rest of your trip," she threatened.

I didn't think she meant it, but to so I didn't jinx myself I quit teasing her. Her modesty really was refreshing. She had bursts of exhibitionism, so I couldn't complain too much. We had done our share of dirty deeds in dark corners, and half of them had been initiated by the blushing blonde floating beside me. Going back to sleeping in separate beds when we got to her parents' house was going to be an exercise in torture, but I wouldn't be disrespectful to them that way after they had been nice to me.

"Are you excited about going home tomorrow?" I asked.

"Yes and no. I mean, I miss my parents and my friends, so it'll be good to see them again, but it just means that I'm closer to leaving again for school. Just a couple more weeks and I'll be alone in New Orleans. Even with all the traveling we did this summer it's kind of scary to think I'll be on my own, you know?"

"It's understandable," I nodded my agreement. "Just remember if you hate it you don't have to stay," I paused, debating over whether or not to say what was in my mind to say. But then I figured I had nothing to lose. "You could always come to Sweden."

The idea had to be floating around in her mind. I had thought about it more times than I could count, at least in a fantasy type way. More than once I dreamt of her magically appearing in my bed back home, and doing the kinds of things I now knew the real thing was a million times better at than the dream version of her. Not that all of my dreams were of a pervy nature, but most of them were. It comes with the territory of being a horny teenage boy. There were times, however, when I thought about what it would be like to show her all the places that I loved in my home country. I liked the idea of being able to share those things with her, and maybe even see them through a new pair of eyes.

I waited for Sookie to speak before I said anything else. We hadn't discussed the possibility of either of us a locating, but I had thought about it after the fight we had in Chicago. I loved Sweden, but I would leave it for Sookie. The question of timing was really the bigger issue. She had a plan for her life, whereas I wasn't really sure what I wanted to do. The only thing I could think of was being wherever she was. If being with her meant moving to Louisiana that was fine with me. I would go wherever I had to.

But Sookie kept quiet, and when her eyes got glassy she started swimming toward the ladder. Shit. What did I say wrong?

I pushed myself up out of the pool right where I was, and followed her around to her chair where she grabbed her towel. She wrapped it around her waist, but didn't say a word before turning and heading for the hotel again.

* * *

**SPOV**

Why did he have to say that?

It wasn't that I hadn't thought about it, whether it was moving across the ocean or him settling in America… of _course_ the idea had occurred to me. In theory it sounded like a fantastic idea, and there was a part of me that was seriously considering that it was something that could eventually happen. The key word there is _eventually_. We weren't ready for something like that, and as much as I loved Eric I was pretty sure that either of us moving would be too much too fast.

The last couple of weeks had shown me that we were capable of being together for extended periods of time, and getting through stressful situations unscathed. We'd had our fights, which we'd never had before he came to America, but it would be different once we were standing still in the same place. Were things so intense because there was the expiration date on our time together?

We were taking every day like it was our last, packing as much living into our time together as we could. But if we lived together permanently things would change. Reality would set in. We would start to see the little things that annoyed us. Not that we couldn't find a way to compromise and work through things, but I just wasn't sure if I was ready for a commitment like that.

I didn't want us to rush into such a big decision only to end up resenting each other. If I moved to Sweden and things didn't work out between us, then what would I do? I doubted I would stay there if I wasn't with him. Making a move like that wasn't cheap either. Movies made it look so easy to just pack up your things and relocate to another country, but just the little bit of red tape that Eric had to deal with just to _visit_ me made me realize that there were no easy fixes.

He followed me back to our room. I waited until we were inside to start talking.

"Are you mad at me?" Eric asked first.

"No, I'm not mad at you," I dropped my towel in the bathroom.

"So then what's the problem?" he asked, leaning against the door.

"There isn't a problem," I sighed, and started to untie my wet bikini.

"Then why are you so upset right now?"

"I'm not upset," I argued.

"I call bullshit," Eric stared at me pointedly.

"I'm not!" I insisted, and took a deep breath before I continued, "It's just… I would be lying if I said I never thought about us living together on a permanent basis. I've thought about it a lot, actually, but I don't know if that's a good idea. I don't think we're ready yet."

"We've been doing it for weeks now," he pointed out.

"But it would be different if one of us had to move. We would be on our own, and that would mean getting jobs, going to school, learning the culture… all the things that come with being independent. Then there's keeping our relationship together and I just… I don't want to rush into it."

"Okay," Eric said casually.

"Okay?" I repeated, the wind going out of my sails.

"Sookie, I wasn't saying we had to do it. I just wanted you to know it was an option. I would love for you to come to me in Sweden. I think you would love it there, and I would love to be able to show you things the way you have done for me. We could go anywhere you want. All I wanted you to know is that you could do it if you wanted to," he told me.

"Oh," I sighed, suddenly feeling a little ridiculous for jumping to conclusions like I did.

"I've thought about it too, you know? I think about it a lot. We both know that it's going to be hard when I have to go home, but I know I have to. You have your school, and I have… I have my own things," he took a few steps closer to me. "Someday, though, I hope that maybe we'll decide we want to be together forever, but that day doesn't have to be today."

I nodded, and let him pull me into a hug. He held me for a while, and just that made me feel better. But then, it seemed at the same time, we realized we were both pretty much naked and alone in a hotel room. I pushed his swim trunks down and he kicked them away. His hands slid down my sides to my hips and then around to my ass. When I looked up at him, he leaned down to kiss me.

We ended up on the couch, just making out for a while. It was nice to not feel rushed, but just enjoy being together. His hands didn't roam too much, mostly staying in my hair or on my butt when he pulled me closer to him. Every now and then when we needed to catch our breath his mouth would make its way to my chest, but his kisses were gentle and sweet. When I looked into his eyes I could see how much he loved me, and I realized that those were the things I wanted to remember the most.

Yes, we had racked up some entertaining stories to tell when we got home, but it was the little moments I kept to myself that I would most likely reflect on. There were so many moments like that. All the things we whispered in the dark, and the way I almost always woke up with him wrapped around me. I was going to miss the closeness, and the simple act of just being near each other.

But I didn't want to think about that. I couldn't think about it without getting sad, and I didn't want to do that. I wanted to enjoy every moment we had left. Time was just ticking by far too quickly for my taste.

Eventually the making out shifted to foreplay, and I climbed off the couch to get down on my knees between Eric's legs. He watched me and held my hair back out of my face so he could look into my eyes when I took him in my mouth. He groaned and guided my head up and down, but didn't push. He let me go at my own pace, whispering in Swedish so I didn't know what he was saying, but I didn't care. He could have been reciting the phonebook and it still would have been sexy.

I wondered how much my skill had improved over the last couple of months. Eric had never complained, but what guy was going to tell his girlfriend she was bad at giving head if he expected to ever get it again? I supposed I could ask, but when Eric moved my head away I knew he was close to finishing. I climbed back onto his lap, more than ready for him to be inside me.

I kissed him hard, and rubbed myself against him while I did it. He reached between us and positioned himself just right so I could sink down onto his erection. I moaned into his mouth, and he guided the rocking of my hips against his so that my clit was rubbing against him in a wonderful way. He moved me faster and faster, grinding himself up against me every now and then until my nails dug into his shoulders and the pressure deep in my belly exploded.

Eric came right after I did, and made no move to withdrawal from me. I didn't mind at all. I wanted him as close as I could have him for as long as I could. The thing was, he would never be close enough.

* * *

**Yeah, so I've been rereading the old chapters of this story to see what loose ends there are that need tying up, and there will be some discussion with Hadley about her heinous behavior toward the beginning of the story. I forgot what a twat she was! Holy cow. But, by reading those chapters it also helped me to get a stronger picture of the ending for this story. I'm thinking there's somewhere around 10 chapters. I just like to give fair warning about it. Thanks for being so patient and reading even with the long gaps between updates!**


	27. Everlasting Light

**Yeeeeeeeeah this chapter is so NOT SAFE FOR WORK. You've been warned.**

* * *

Chapter 27: Everlasting Light

**EPOV**

Sookie was stretched out on her back beside me with her arms up on either side of her head. One of her legs was resting against mine while the other was stretched out, leaving her spread open for me in such an inviting manner it would have been a crime to stay where I was. I knew by the slow, rhythmic movement of her chest that she was deeply asleep. Her eyes were moving below her lids, suggesting that she was dreaming.

Perfect.

I shifted carefully and positioned myself between her thighs. Her skin was just slightly chilled thanks to the air conditioning and the fact that she had kicked her covers off at some point. I kissed the inside of her thighs to warm them, and to test just how asleep she really was. She didn't move, so I trailed kisses up her thigh, inching my way closer to her pussy. Hell, I was going to miss her.

That sounds bad, but it was the truth. It wasn't just the sex that I would miss, but that was going to be a big part of it. I started to wonder about monogamy, and what the terms of our relationship were going to be once we were back to having more than 5,000 miles between us. The thought of her fucking someone else made me want to pack her in my suitcase and bring her back to Sweden with me. I couldn't even picture myself being with another girl. We hadn't talked about it, but was it realistic for us to expect each other to not sleep with other people?

I made a note to talk to her about it later. At the moment, I was going to enjoy the sweet, warm treat in front of me just begging to be sampled. I kissed her lower lips slowly, sucking them and nibbling a little, going from one side to the other. I looked up at her face to monitor how close to being awake she was. My tongue moved at a leisurely pace, savoring the slow leak of her honey flowing from her tight little opening. Fuck, she tasted amazing. I was going to miss that, too.

I had no doubt I'd go down on her again before I left, but the number of times was limited. It wasn't like while we were on the road and I could just pull over anytime I wanted just to eat her out. And I had done that a couple of times. I was an opportunistic bastard, and she had spent a good deal of the summer calling out to God because of it.

Sookie began to moan in her sleep, and shortly after that her hips started writhing a little. I slid two fingers into her and pumped them in and out slowly, my lips fastening around her clit. Her moans got louder, and her arms started to flail a little. Her breathing sped up and she began to mumble my name. My fingers curled inside her in search of that magic spot that always made her scream, and I knew I found it when her hips started working a counter rhythm to my fingers.

The sight of her riding my hand, even in her sleep, was incredibly sexy. Her breathing got faster and faster as she got closer to coming. The more I rubbed against that magic spot inside her, the wetter she was, and when she came there was that delicious gush of her juices along with the squeezing of her pussy around my fingers. I needed to wake her up. I wouldn't actually fuck her while she was sleeping, that just didn't seem right to me.

After licking my fingers clean, I moved up the length of her body and braced myself so that my mouth was near her ear. In a quiet, raspy voice I started to speak to her in Swedish and wondered how long it would take for her to wake up and realize I was ready to fuck her through the mattress. She mumbled and moaned some more in her sleep, her body still coming down from her little high. When her eyes finally fluttered opened, she gave me a sleepy, blissful smile.

"What are you whispering?" she asked me, and I dipped my hips down so my very hard cock was pressed against her wet center. She gasped, and her eyes got a little wider. "You've been up for a while?"

"Very funny, lover," I nipped at her jaw, and she shifted her legs a little to try and wrap them around me. "No, no," I said, and pulled back.

"Where are you going?" Sookie looked at me with confusion, but then I turned her over and lay on top of her.

"Not far," I whispered in her ear.

I was careful not to put too much weight on her, since crushing her wouldn't be much fun. Sookie wasn't quite awake enough for a more adventurous position. Not to mention, I knew how much she liked it from behind. When she started to wiggle a little underneath me all patience was lost, and I thrust inside her all at once. She cried out and her fingers grasped the sheets, but I knew she wasn't hurting or she would have told me so. I moved slowly at first to give her time to adjust, and myself time to calm down a little so I didn't actually hurt her.

I moved in and out of her slowly, kissing her neck and shoulders as I did so, occasionally stilling inside her to whisper dirty things in her ear. I felt her shiver below me and knew it had nothing to do with the air conditioning in the room. When Sookie pushed herself up off the mattress a little bit I adjusted my own position and got her upon her knees. She began to rock back against me, looking over her shoulder with that look in her eyes that told me what she wanted.

I loved that I knew her so well just by the way she was looking at me. Sometimes it was nice to tease her and make her say the words that her modesty would generally prevent her from saying, while others it was nice to just do it. At the moment, I wasn't in a teasing mood, and it seemed Sookie wasn't either. Her moans got louder and louder, and it was a good thing the headboard was mounted to the wall or it would have been slamming against it. Our poor neighbors would have gotten one hell of a wakeup call.

We shifted positions and Sookie straddled my waist, taking me inside her again immediately. Her hands found mine and pinned them down on either side of my head. Her hips rose and fell while she leaned forward. Our lips met, and my tongue stroked against her in a counter-rhythm to the thrusting of my cock inside her. I felt her nipples graze against my chest every now and then, and my eyes rolled back into my head when she moved down to drag her teeth over one of my nipples. I felt her smile against my skin when I growled because of it.

"Like that?" she moved her lips back to mine.

All I could do was nod, and then close the distance between our mouths. We rolled again a moment later and her legs finally got to wrap around me. I cradled her head in my hands, kissing her slowly and deeply. My eyes were open and so were hers. Our bodies slowed down, but the intensity continued to build until finally I couldn't hold back anymore and I exploded inside her. Sookie followed right after me, milking whatever I had left to offer her.

"Jag älskar dig," I whispered in her ear, and I knew she knew what that meant. She tried to whisper it back, but it came out butchered thanks to her drawl. I didn't care; I knew what she meant. More importantly, I knew she meant it.

* * *

**SPOV**

After a wakeup call like that I wasn't sure I ever wanted to wake up any other way again. I'd thought I was dreaming that Eric was going down on me, but when I woke up I knew it had to have been happening for real. I didn't mind it one bit, though. We stayed quietly in bed for a while with Eric comfortably nestled on top of me. He was starting to get hard again when I suggested we get in the shower. Like it or not, we had a five hour drive ahead of us and we were rapidly approaching checkout time.

We fooled around in the shower, and ended up getting dirty all over again when he pinned me up against the wall in there. The things that boy could do to me... my stars. When we were finished in the shower we quickly got dressed and packed up what little we had brought up to the room with us. Leaving the hotel room was bittersweet for me. On the one hand I really was excited about going home to see my parents and friends again. On the other, I was going to miss having Eric pretty much all to myself.

Eric handled the checkout stuff while I went out to the car to put our things back in the trunk. It was already blazing hot outside when I got out there, so I started by getting the A/C going. We were going to need to stop for breakfast and fuel before we could really go too far. It was strange to put my home address into the was our final destination.

I was sitting behind the wheel of the car when Eric came outside. He got into the car next to me and leaned over to kiss my cheek.

"What was that for?" I asked as I put the car in gear.

"I felt like it," he shrugged, and then reached for his seat belt.

We found a gas station a couple of blocks away and it just so happened there was a diner across the street, so we got gas and then breakfast. By the time we got back in the car I was stuffed, and glad we probably wouldn't be eating again until we got home. I called my mother to tell her we were on our way, and speculated that we would be home somewhere between seven and eight that night depending on how many stops we had to make for gas, or to stretch our legs on the way back.

"I can't wait to see you, honey," Mom said with excitement. "Gran's coming by tomorrow with a peach cobbler for you."

"Gran is my favorite person in the world right now," I said, already salivating at the thought. Eric lifted an eyebrow in my direction.

"What about me?" he whispered.

"Well she's as anxious to see you as we are," Mom said.

"Okay, I'm gettin' on the highway so I gotta go. I'll see you tonight," I told Mom as I navigated us onto the on-ramp.

"Love you, honey. Say hi to Eric for me," she said.

"Will do. Love you too," I said, and hung up.

"So?" Eric prompted.

"So what?" I asked while my eyes went from one mirror to another to make sure I had room to merge onto the highway.

"Who is your favorite person?" he asked.

"Gran is bringing me peach cobbler tomorrow," I explained.

"I give you orgasms," he argued. "A lot of them."

"I still love you too," I assured him, but had to keep my eyes on the road for the moment. Traffic was heavier than I expected.

"Not fair," he pouted.

"Okay, so you're my favorite person who gives me orgasms. Is that better?" I glanced over at him.

"I'm the only person that gives you orgasms," he glared at me in that petulant, pouty way of his.

"Yes, you are, but that doesn't mean you aren't still my favorite," I reached for his hand. "Are we really arguing about this?"

"I don't like that I have to start sharing you again. I like having you to myself. I'm very greedy," he told me, and kissed my wrist.

"So am I, but it's a fact of life," I squeezed my hand to his.

We were quiet for a while, the only sound in the car was that of the Black Keys as we rolled on down the highway. Suddenly Eric turned the volume down and quietly cleared his throat. The expression on his face told me he had something important to say, but I waited for him to find the words.

"When I go home I don't want to fuck someone else," he told me rather bluntly.

My head whipped to the right and I asked, "Where did that come from?"

"This morning," he sighed, and his eyes slowly moved in my direction. I wanted to keep looking at him but I had to look at the road. "This morning when I was giving you all those kisses between your thighs," he said and I blushed furiously over it, "I started thinking about how I would feel if you had sex with someone else."

"Eric, I-"

"Let me finish, please," he cut me off, and I nodded. "I'm not saying that I think you would; it was a hypothetical thought. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if you told me that you had sex with someone else... if it was anyone other than you I don't know if I would care. Because it's you, I don't want that to happen. I also know that asking someone to wait, maybe for years, is a really long time. We get lonely, and sometimes we need to feel connected to someone. But I don't want to feel that with anyone but you."

My eyes welled, and before I knew what I was doing, I got off at the next exit and pulled into an abandoned parking lot. I unfastened my seat belt and moved over to the passenger's side to straddle his lap. My hands cupped his face and I kissed him hard.

"I don't want to fuck anyone else either," I said against his lips. "I don't even want to think about what it would do to me if you slept with someone else, but you're right..."

I hated to admit it, but he was right. We were young, and that didn't mean we weren't capable of turning others away, but it meant that it would be a little more difficult. Was I strong enough to be in an open relationship? Something about Eric brought out my jealous side, and I didn't like the idea of anyone else getting their hooks into him. In my mind I knew that if he _did_ fuck someone else it would just be sex. It wouldn't be about him falling in love with someone else.

But I couldn't imagine ever being able to look him in the eyes again if I had sex with someone that wasn't him. As long as we were together, I wouldn't do it. I didn't care how much I missed him, or how lonely I got. I just wasn't that kind of a girl. There was a part of me that wished I could be understanding and confident enough to tell Eric that we didn't have to be monogamous with each other, but I just wasn't that girl either.

"You're right, but I don't share," I said firmly. "We're going to miss each other and it's going to be to hard to walk away but I couldn't hurt you that way, Eric. No matter what I wouldn't see it as 'just sex.' Whoever I ended up with, it would be your face that I tried to picture when I closed my eyes, and it would just... it wouldn't feel right. So yes, I'll get sad and I'll get lonely, and I'll hate that we're so far apart but I'll deal with it because you're worth that sacrifice."

His eyes searched mine, and then he kissed me again. It was one of those fevered, passionate, turn-my-insides-to-jelly kisses that ultimately resulted in unzipped jeans and panties pushed to the side. It was fast, hard and absolutely perfect, and when it was over somehow the tension that had been there between us was gone. Eric and I traded places so he could drive for a while, and as he got back onto the highway he looked over at me with a smile on his face.

"I'll wait for you, Sookie... as long as it takes," he promised me, and I knew he meant it.

* * *

**Ugh, sometimes they're so sweet I want to puke a little. The promise to remain faithful to each other isn't one that's completely unrealistic, but when you're that young it isn't always an easy promise to keep. Damn hormones and poor judgment really have a way of fucking with your life. We've ALL been there. Thanks for reading!**


	28. Girl Is On My Mind

Chapter 28: Girl is On My Mind

**SPOV**

I was so full I didn't think I would be able to eat for a week. Gran hadn't just brought peach cobbler with her, she'd brought an entire Sunday dinner of soul food and southern classics that I hadn't had much of until we hit Memphis. It wasn't until I got a taste of her fried chicken that it really hit me that I was home. I thought about all the things I had accomplished in the last three months and I was blown away.

I had graduated from high school, lost my virginity, traveled around the western half of the country… I had gained more life experience since Eric arrived than I had accumulated in my whole life, and I had him to thank for it. It never would have occurred to me to take that trip by myself, and it wouldn't have been the same wonderful experience it was if he hadn't come with me. I couldn't imagine what it would have been like trying to keep in touch with him if he hadn't come to see me that summer.

After supper was over I was in the kitchen washing dishes—I had insisted on it- when Hadley came in through the back door. I stopped dead in my tracks when I looked at her. Gone was the athletically fit girl I had known my entire life. In her place was a girl who had packed on the pounds, and most of them were in her midsection. Hadley was pregnant, and by the looks of it, getting darn close to her due date.

"Holy shit," I couldn't help cursing under my breath.

"Hey, Sook," she said sheepishly.

"Hadley, you're… why didn't you tell me?" I stared at her stomach. She looked to be at least five months pregnant.

"I didn't want to tell anybody at first," she said, and she was actually sheepish about it. "This wasn't planned, and at first I wasn't sure what I was going to do."

"And now?" I turned off the water.

"I'm going to keep him," she said with a warm smile.

"It's a boy?" I asked, and thought I might cry.

She nodded, and I crossed the room to hug her. Hadley had done some awful things, and she had said things that were even worse. There had been a point where I wasn't sure if I could forgive her for those things. I didn't fully understand why she had chosen me, of all people, to lash out at. We had been so close for so long, and it hurt that she wasn't happier for me when my life took a turn for the better.

"When did you find out you were pregnant?" I asked her.

"Two days after prom," she admitted, and my jaw dropped.

"Hadley!" I admonished her and she flinched in a guilty way. "I wish you would have told me…"

"I wanted to; I really did," she started, and when her hands went to her swollen belly I couldn't help but stare some more. "I didn't even know how to tell Remy. I knew when I told him that he was going to say that he wanted to marry me, that we should try to make things work and I… I don't want to get married. I know that probably sounds really selfish of me, but just the idea of being someone's mother is a big enough adjustment without throwing a marriage into the mix. I love Remy in a lot ways, but I don't know if I love him the way I should if I'm going to be his wife."

"Don't rush it, Had. Take your time and do what's right for you and your son. If Remy is what's right you can always work that out in the future," I pointed out.

She nodded and said, "That's what I was thinking but when I told him I wouldn't marry him he asked me if the baby was even his."

"Get out!" I said, suddenly feeling the urge to punch Remy right in the balls.

"He said he had no way of knowing for sure since I'd been with so many other guys in the past, but he was the only one I was with back then. He said he wants a DNA test and it if comes back that the baby is his, he still wants to be in the baby's life, but he doesn't want anything to do with me," Hadley said sadly.

I hugged her again. As mean as she had been to me, I still felt badly for her. I couldn't imagine being in her position, and given the fact that I'd had a ridiculous amount of sex over the summer it could have just as easily been me. There was still the chance that it could be, but I knew things would be different if I was in her place. Eric and I would figure out a way to make things work, I was sure of that. He wouldn't leave me if I said I wasn't ready to marry him, I knew that much at least.

"Sook?" Eric called out, and then a moment later he appeared in the kitchen.

Hadley and I pulled apart, and as soon as he figured out what was up with Hadley, his eyes went wide as saucers.

"Hey, Eric," she said with a weak smile.

"Hadley," he nodded, clearly unsure of what to say.

"Listen, I want to apologize to both of you for the way I behaved before. I was awful to you both and… I was wrong. I'm sorry for any damage I did," she said, and then looked at me specifically. "I was jealous of you, Sookie. You found someone you care about, and it's obvious that he feels the same way. You have what every girl wants, and I'm sorry I tried to steal it out from under you."

"Don't do it again," I said with a smile. She nodded, and then I hugged her once more. "I forgive you, Hadley."

She burst into tears, and I looked over her shoulder to where Eric was standing awkwardly. Without a word he left the two of us alone in the kitchen to talk things out a little more. I felt movement in Hadley's belly, and when we pulled apart for the third time I didn't hesitate to reach out and touch her stomach.

"Here," she moved my hand so I could feel the baby kicking her.

"Wow," I said in amazement. "He's a strong little guy."

"You should feel it from my end," she sniffled, and I reached over to grab a paper towel for her.

"How's Aunt Linda been about this?"

"Not surprised," Hadley said a bit bitterly. "I suppose that's my own fault, but I don't know… I guess it would be nice if she had expected more from me than this."

"Hadley, being a mother is a big deal. You're going to be that little boy's mother for the rest of your life."

"Yeah, but I mean that's _all_ I'm going to be for a while. I might get to college eventually, but any job I get is pretty much going to be dead end, and pretty much only pay for daycare. I'm screwed here, Sookie. I really, really screwed up this time. This isn't like when I got caught cheating on that quiz in algebra, or when I forgot to take back library books. This mistake is going to cost me for the rest of my life," she pointed out, and there was definitely a glimmer of the shallow, spoiled Hadley I had known my whole life.

"When are you due?" I asked her as I sat down next to her.

"Thanksgiving," she snickered. "If my doctor calculated right it looks like I got knocked up on Valentine's Day."

"Oh wow," I smiled a little. "So… what are you going to do after the baby's born?"

"It'll depend on Remy, I think. He was only going to community college anyway, but now he's talking about skipping it and seeing if he can get a job working on your Dad's crew instead. If that doesn't work out, I'm not sure what he's going to do. I know Uncle Corbett's trying to pull some strings for him though."

"Okay, but what about _you_?"

She shrugged and said, "I'll be home with the baby, I guess. It's cheaper for me to stay home and raise him than it is for me to put him in daycare. I looked at the costs, and there's really no way I could afford it. Gran might be able to watch him one or two mornings a week, but you know how busy she is."

It was true. Gran certainly had a full social calendar. Between her Descendants of the Glorious Dead stuff, volunteering at the church, garden club and all the other things she did, Gran just didn't have much free time. Not to mention, she was getting on in years, so while she wouldn't mind having a baby around for a little while, it wasn't like she would want to take him on full-time. Aunt Linda had a job so that eliminated her.

"Aunt Michele offered to help out, and it isn't that I don't trust her, but it just feels like this is _my_ responsibility. I don't want to go pawning my son off on other people," Hadley told me, and I was actually impressed with her maturity. "So, tell me about your trip. Enough baby talk for a while."

I smiled and said, "Had, it was the best time of my life."

* * *

**EPOV**

"I can't believe your cousin is pregnant," I said as Sookie and I walked along.

"Me either. I mean, Hadley hasn't been a virgin for a long time, but I thought she was more careful. She's handling it pretty well, actually. I think, deep down, she isn't really all that surprised that this happened," Sookie confessed.

"Are you?"

"Honestly?" she asked, and I nodded. "Not really. Hadley always said she was going to get out of here, but she's never done a damn thing to make that happen. She coasted through school and spent more time partying than she did doing any of her assignments. I think she just assumed she was going to ride someone's coattails out of here, and she got pregnant instead."

"It's too bad," I said sincerely. "I mean, it's sad for her because we're so young and she'll miss out on a lot of things, but it's worse for the baby."

Sookie nodded her agreement and asked, "This is purely hypothetical, and I know we talked about it a little before we left, but that was before we had sex. If, in two months, I find out that I'm having a baby…"

"If that happens we'll deal with it then. I don't think it's worth it to talk in hypotheticals," I told her.

"Like the cheating thing?" she pointed out.

"That's different. We've taken precautions against pregnancy. Cheating is something that can happen in the blink of an eye, or without any warning. Mistakes happen," I argued.

"I still think we should talk about it," Sookie stopped walking.

"What do you want me to say, Sookie? If it happens, I won't be able to come back here for you for at least a year and a half. I will miss the birth. I won't know the baby for the first year of its life. That doesn't make me happy, but the worst of it is knowing that you will have to go through it without me when I should be there for you every day. Would I abandon you? No, of course I wouldn't. I would do everything I could to get back to you as soon as possible. I wouldn't run away."

I really wouldn't run away. Maybe if it was someone else I would, but not with her. I couldn't do that to her, no matter how freaked out I was about the prospect of being a father. I could put myself aside and step up to do the right thing.

"Would you keep it if you found out you were pregnant?" I asked her, since the decision on that would ultimately be hers.

"I don't know," Sookie admitted rather sadly. "It sounds awful, but I'm just not ready to be someone's mother. How would you feel about it if I said I didn't want to keep it?"

"Do you mean abortion or adoption?" I asked, since there were different choices to be made.

"Either," she shrugged.

"I don't feel like I have a right to tell you what you do with your body," I started, and reached for her hand. "Whatever decision you made I would try to support it."

"But you might not."

I sighed in frustration, "I don't know, Sookie. This is a hypothetical situation, right?"

She nodded and said, "Eric, if I was pregnant I would just come out and tell you."

I felt relieved to hear that since I was starting to wonder if she was hiding something from me and was just trying to feel out a way to tell me about it.

"I can't know how I'm going to feel until I feel it. I could tell you that I would be the best boyfriend ever and accept any choice you made, but I just won't know until it happens."

We were quiet for a few minutes as we resumed walking. Her concerns were legitimate, and I understood why it was on the forefront of her mind, given what she'd just learned about Hadley, but I really didn't think we would have to worry about it. Then again, I was willing to bet Hadley thought the same thing. Anything was possible. I didn't know if I believed in soul mates, but if I did, I was pretty sure I met mine by chance when I was eight.

That doesn't happen every day.

By the time we got back to the house Gran was already gone, and Sookie's parents had gone to bed. I hadn't realized we were walking for so long. Sookie and I sat on the porch swing in the front, and just rocked for a while.

"I got my class schedule in the mail while we were gone," she confided, her voice quiet and a little sleepy.

"Oh yeah?"

She nodded and said, "I was thinking maybe, if it's possible, we could make a regular date on Wednesday nights to meet on Skype if you can do that."

"I'll look into it when I get back. I haven't enlisted myself yet, so I don't know what the regulations are, exactly."

"Promise me you won't get killed," she said firmly.

That was a pie crust promise, but I made it anyway. "I promise I won't get killed."

"You better not, or I'll figure out a way to haunt _you_," she said, and I had no doubt she would. If anyone could figure out how to do something like that, it was my Sookie.

"Don't go falling in love with some frat boy," I whispered in response.

"Not a chance," she snuggled against me. "You're the only one I want."

"Maybe you can come visit when you have your spring break next year," I suggested, and just thought of not seeing her for almost nine months was a pick axe in the chest.

"I'd like that," she yawned.

"Sookie?" I whispered a few minutes later, but got no response.

I carefully got up and lifted her from the swing to take her inside. I didn't have the heart to wake her. She was a sack of potatoes in my arms as I carried her upstairs to her bedroom. I clicked on her air conditioning unit, took off her shoes and closed her curtains.

The average guy would have just left, but instead I sat down on the chair near her desk and just watched her sleep for a while.

* * *

**The end of this story is so close I can almost taste it! I started writing the epilogue the other day just because it was in my head, so maybe I'll find the words/motivation to write the remaining chapters. It really is about time to put these babies to bed. Thanks for reading!**


	29. Mine is Yours

**Right, so these two are definitely taking advantage of what time they have left together and that seems to mean they're humping like bunnies. That said, this chapter is SO NOT SAFE FOR WORK.**

* * *

Chapter 29: Mine is Yours

**EPOV**

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of activity. I don't think Sookie realized how much there was to do until she made up her list and actually started doing it. There was packing, shopping, cleaning… she even brought me along to meet up with her new roommate when they decided to have lunch together one day. She was going to be living with a girl named Jessica who was from a small town north of Shreveport.

I wasn't sure what to make of Jessica, although it seemed pretty obvious that Sookie liked her. Don't get me wrong, Jessica seemed like a nice girl, but I could tell there was a wild side to her that was just itching to get out. I could only hope that Sookie wouldn't get sucked into going to too many college parties. My mind wandered to dark places, imagining getting a frantic phone call from my girl in the morning (because of the time difference between her and me), only for Sookie to tell me that she had been assaulted by some jerk off at a party after one too many beers.

It was an overreaction on my part, but there was always that possibility.

On top of that Sookie went back to work waiting tables, which meant I had a lot of free time while she was at work. I would go up to the restaurant to meet her at the end of the night, but I couldn't hang out there all the time. It was distracting to her, and I didn't want her to lose out on tips because she was too busy paying attention to me. I spent time with her family and found that I actually liked Tara's boyfriend, Eggs.

Tara had lightened up a little so she wasn't so bad to be around either. Our funds were pretty dried up by the time we got back to Bon Temps, so we found cheap ways to entertain ourselves. That meant spending time at the lake we had gone swimming at before we started on our trip, going for walks in the woods and laying out on the lawn at night watching clouds move. We talked a lot, even proposing plans for the future.

We talked about the real possibility of Sookie being able to come and visit me, and she promised she would start saving money for the plane ticket since that would be the most expensive thing. Even if she only came for a few days, it would be do wonders for us both. She tried not to get emotional when she talked about the two of us being separated again, but she cried more often than not. All I could do was hold her until she felt better.

More than once we snuck off to a deserted back road to be alone. We became professionals at having sex in the backseat of an SUV, and it was a good thing I wasn't any taller or I'm not sure it would have worked.

"My parents won't be home tomorrow," Sookie said as we pulled onto one such road after she got off of work one night. "And it just so happens to be my night off so we'll have the house to ourselves."

"Your brother?" I reminded her.

"Jason'll be at Merlotte's tomorrow night since Dawn's workin', and I guess they've had an on and off thing goin' since he got back," she found a secluded spot and parked the car. "Any chance my brother has at getting free anything means he's gonna take every possible advantage until the well dries up."

I snickered and said, "It never ceases to amaze me how different you and Jason are."

"No joke," she sighed, and unfastened her seatbelt, but kept the car running for the air conditioning.

"So how was your night?" I asked her, watching as she started to undress herself right there in the front seat. Apparently Sookie wasn't in the stalling mood.

"Aside from having my ass grabbed twice by that walking hormone, Jake Purifoy, I'm just great," she forced a smile, and my hand clenched into a fist.

"He grabbed you?" I was mostly thinking out loud and trying not to get out of the car, run back to Merlotte's and clock the little fucker right in the balls.

"He's not the first and he won't be the last to do it," she sighed.

"That doesn't make it okay, Sookie," I snapped at her.

"Don't take that tone with me!" she snapped right back. "You think I like it when drunk assholes put their hands on me without an invitation?"

I sighed and said, "You're right. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I don't want to fight with you Eric," she reached for my hand. "Besides, Hoyt was there and reminded Jake that it's not cool to do that."

"Did he remind him with a fist, because that's the way I would have done it," I told her.

"No, that's not Hoyt's way," she said. "But Hoyt can be pretty intimidatin' when he gets riled, believe it or not. He might be a great big ole teddy bear most of the time, but he gets as mean as a hornet when it suits him, and that's usually when he sees girls bein' hassled."

"Well I'm glad he thinks enough of you to protect you," I said, and lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles.

"Yeah, me too," she smiled. "Now can we please get in the backseat? I've missed you and I could really use an orgasm… or three."

"Älskling, you never have to ask me twice," I let go of her hand and got out of the front seat to move to the back while Sookie just climbed over. Being more than a foot shorter than me certainly had its advantages there.

Clever girl was on her knees in the backseat, bracing herself with one hand and pulling her shoes off with the other which meant every time she bent forward she was offering me glimpses of her already glistening pussy, which meant she had been thinking about time in the backseat for a while, and I decided I wanted to know exactly what she had been thinking. Sookie looked at me over her shoulder with a smile on her face.

"Aren't you gettin' in?" she asked.

"Yeah," I nodded, and pulled off my t-shirt first. She had no problem getting all the way naked I didn't either, at least not because modesty dictated I stay dressed, but because it wasn't as easy for me to wiggle my way into my clothes again as it was her when we were finished.

I climbed back into the SUV and closed the door. As usual Sookie straddled my lap and leaned in to kiss me, and that was when I made my move.

* * *

**SPOV**

I was just about to kiss Eric when he caught hold of my face with one of his hands, stilling my movement. He looked deep into my eyes and asked, "What were you thinking about that got you so wet for me, Sookie?"

"What?" I nearly choked on the word.

"You heard me," he said, his other hand moving between my legs and rubbing against my lips. "You're already wet enough that I can do this," he pushed two fingers inside me and I moaned, "And I could tell you to ride my hand right now and you would. So what were you thinking about that made you so wet?"

"Eric," I whimpered and he started to pump his fingers in and out slowly.

"Tell me, or I'll stop," he threatened. "Maybe you liked when you got groped."

"No!" I said, and very nearly pulled away from him entirely for that. "I was thinking about you, you jerk."

He smirked at me and asked, "What were you thinking about me?"

"This. Us," I said.

"Be specific," he said, his fingers nearly all the way pulled out.

"I was thinking about us naked together," I started, and he pushed his fingers in a little deeper.

"And?" he demanded.

"How it feels when you're inside me," I said and he pushed a little deeper. "How full I feel, and how safe I am… the sexy way you growl at me when I do something you like, and the way you growl even louder when you're tryin' to warn me."

He was sliding his fingers in and out regularly again as I talked, telling him all the things about him that turned me on and it was quite a long list. I reached into his pants to free his semi-hard dick, and started to stroke him. I wanted him in me. With his departure date drawing closer and closer, I wanted him as often as I could get him before he was gone.

When he was hard and ready, he removed his fingers and I impaled myself on him instead. He traced my lips with his wet fingers and then leaned forward to kiss the juices right off of me. My hips started rocking against his, moving faster and faster as I got closer to coming. He threw his head back against the seat and let me ride him at my own pace. His hands moved from my hips to cup my ass, and then I felt his fingers slide down a little and one of them pressed against my back entrance.

My eyes went wide at the sensation, but he didn't push in. The pressure of it, however, forced me forward a little and my clit rubbed against his pubic bone whenever I rocked forward. I moaned loudly, feeling my release building, getting closer and closer.

"Lean back, Sookie," he said in that raspy, sexy voice, and I reached back to hold onto the front seats so I wouldn't lose my balance.

His hands moved back to my hips and held onto me when he started to thrust up fast and hard. I knew anyone who passed by the car would see it moving, and more than likely figure out that we were fucking in the backseat, but I didn't care.

"Ohmygod, Eric… yes…" I moaned, listening to the sound of his skin slapping against mine. His name left my lips in a steady chant and my muscles started to flutter.

"Fan, Sookie, du knullar så hårt," he growled and the use of his native language just... God, it did things to me.

"I'm so close, Eric," I whined.

"Cum för mig, älskling," he said, and even though I had no idea what he was saying to me, it didn't matter.

The levee broke and I screamed his name when I came. He followed right behind me, thrusting into me hard, and holding my hips so tightly I was sure I'd had small bruises there. I pitched forward and collapsed against his chest with a big smile on my face. That was just what I needed.

**oOoOoOo**

I looked around at all of the boxes and things piled around my room. Only four more days until it was time to leave for college. The following night was my last at Merlotte's until I came home for winter break. That meant I only had Eric for ten more days, and then he was going home.

"Your parents went to bed," he said after closing the bedroom door behind himself.

"Do you think we can be quiet enough that they won't know?" I asked.

"That's up to you. We can always leave if you want," he pointed out.

"No, I want to stay here with you. I want you in a bed," I smiled at him.

He smiled back, locked my bedroom door and started getting undressed. I followed suit and then we fell back onto my bed together, our lips joined in a rather passionate kiss. Eric trapped me under him and just to be on the safe side, I pulled the comforter up over us so at least if we got caught, we wouldn't be butt naked to anyone who caught us. It didn't take long for Eric to disappear under the blanket and set up shop between my legs. I covered my face with a pillow to muffle the sounds I made while he went down on me.

I was there on the brink, so close to coming when he popped up and turned me over onto my stomach. I pushed my ass up in the air just a little bit and when he entered me I bit my pillow to keep from crying out. My bed squeaked as he thrust into me. He leaned forward so he was hovering over my back. One of his arms came around so he could put his hand on my throat.

He lifted my head and started whispering to me in Swedish, and I turned my head so I could bite his arm lightly. He would thrust into me hard and fast a few times, and then move slower and not as deep. He repeated this pattern over and over until his other hand snaked between my body and the mattress so he could rub my clit. I moaned against his arm and he started pounding into me again.

Surprisingly enough, it was Eric who came first, but he kept thrusting until I came a few seconds later. He threw the blankets off of us and the cold air was a bit of a shock to the rest of my very heated body. He climbed off the bed and grabbed a box of Kleenex so we could clean up at little bit.

When I rolled over I stilled his hand between my legs and smiled up at him.

"What?" he asked nervously.

"I want more," I told him, which made him grin.

"You can have whatever you want, älskling," he said, and stood to throw away the soiled tissues.

When he turned to come back to me, I was already on the floor on my knees waiting for him.

* * *

**EPOV**

It was amazing how much more confident Sookie had become in the last couple of months. She had been hesitant to touch me in the beginning, and now she was on her knees with my cock in her mouth, sucking me off like it was what she had been born to do. I was more than content to let her practice on me anytime she wanted. Her hand worked what didn't fit in her mouth, and when she got the brilliant idea to reach down and touch herself while she was giving me head, I damn near came right then.

"Du gillar att suga kuk, älskling?" I asked her in Swedish because I knew hearing it turned her on.

She released me from her mouth long enough to ask, "What did you say?"

Usually she didn't bother to ask for a translation, but I didn't mind repeating it in English for her because talking dirty to her was almost as good as speaking in Swedish.

"I asked if you like sucking my cock, sweetheart?" I smirked at her.

She smiled back at me and answered that question by opening that pretty mouth of hers and taking my cock as deep in it as she could. My eyes rolled back into my head and I grabbed onto her hair. My hips started to thrust a little bit, but not too hard. It took Sookie a moment to adjust, but when I looked down at her she made this noise and pulled my hips closer to her face.

"Do you want me to fuck your mouth, Sookie?" I asked her, and she made an affirmative noise, and gave me a wink.

I had never done that before, but I was willing to try it if it was what she wanted, so that's what I did. The sensation of being able to glide in and out of her mouth with her perfect pink lips wrapped around me was fucking amazing. There was the temptation to go much faster but I didn't want to choke her or make her gag. When she'd had enough she pulled away and resumed stroking me with her hands.

When I told her I was about to come, she opened her mouth and sucked me back in. Her hands were twisting and stroking around my shaft while her tongue flicked against the slit at the head of my cock, and that finished me off. I pulled her hair when I came, and she moaned loudly while trying to swallow everything I gave her. I was still trying to catch my breath when she licked me clean and released me from her mouth.

"Fuck, Sookie," I muttered. That was, hands down, the best head I'd ever gotten and I told her as much.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," she smiled up at me, and I helped her up off her knees.

I wanted to throw her down on her bed and go down on her until she forced my head away, but with her parents being downstairs I couldn't do that. Instead we got back into bed.

"Don't fall asleep here," she said when I pulled her next to me to snuggle until she fell asleep.

"I won't," I promised her and kissed her shoulder.

"I love you, Eric," she whispered.

"I love you too," I whispered back, and reached over to turn off the bedside table lamp.

I was spooned up behind her and decided I owed her one for the stellar blowjob she'd given me so I lifted her leg so it was resting on mine.

"What are you doing?" she whispered when my hand moved between her thighs.

"Making sure you have sweet dreams," I kissed her neck and started rubbing her clit.

Her body tensed for a few seconds, but the completely relaxed while I slowly fingered her into one more orgasm. She came quietly, gasping for air and shaking like a leaf. Her head turned and she kissed me goodnight after whispering a thank you. I licked my fingers clean and wrapped my arm around her with the intention of going downstairs once she was asleep.

Instead I fell asleep, too.

* * *

**Yeah, so in my head Sookie was THISCLOSE to referring to herself as a sex camel with all the orgasms she's hoarding, but honestly I can't say I blame her. Since these kiddos are in my head I'm hoping I can finish this story in the next day or so, at least the writing part, but we'll see. I've got a new project I'm working on with Scribeninja that had us both sobbing earlier so that sucked some of the life out of me. I'll be posting that soon too, no worries. Thanks for reading!**


	30. Twice as Hard

Chapter 30: Twice as Hard

**EPOV**

"Sookie!" Michele called through the bedroom door, and then knocked. "Sookie, time to get up!"

Shit. I wasn't supposed to be in Sookie's room. Falling asleep wasn't at all part of the plan.

"Be down in a minute!" Sookie called back from beside me, and then jumped when she realized I was still in bed with her. She rolled over quickly to face me.

"Jag vet att du är där också, Eric!" Michele called through the door, and I was impressed with her pronunciation, but she had been practicing.

"Fuck," I groaned.

"Get dressed and get downstairs," Michele said, and I would have wondered how she knew we were naked, but then we were teenagers and I knew she knew we were having sex.

"Oh God," Sookie groaned and pulled a pillow over her head.

"She didn't sound mad," I said, which seemed like a good thing, but then Sookie slapped my chest.

"You were supposed to go back downstairs!" she lifted the pillow to glare at me.

"I meant to, but I got comfortable and I fell asleep. It was an accident," I said.

She sighed and shook her head before sitting up. When I looked at the alarm clock next to her bed I saw that it was after ten, and I knew she had things to do before going to work. It had been my plan to take her parents out to dinner to thank them for letting me stay in their house for a good portion of the summer, but that was going to be really fucking awkward now.

"Come on, get up," Sookie said as she got out of bed.

I watched her beautiful bare ass as she walked across the room, and my cock twitched. I didn't want to get up but I didn't want to risk pissing off Michele any more than I already had. I was assuming that Corbett didn't know I'd spent the night in his daughter's bedroom, or I'm sure I would have woken up with Bonnie's business end pointed right in my face, and the only female business end I wanted there was currently being covered in white cotton panties.

Reluctantly, I got out of bed and caught my clothes when Sookie tossed them to me. She put on a bra and one of her little summer dresses that I was convinced were designed for girls with horny boyfriends so the skirts could easily be flipped up for quickies against a wall or in the backseat of a car. Sookie was dressed first and after taming her hair a little bit, opened her bedroom door. She was the first one of us downstairs and she was pouring herself a cup of coffee when I came into the kitchen.

"So, did you enjoy your sleepover?" Michele asked from the table, a less than happy expression on her face.

"It was an accident, Mama," Sookie said.

"I think we were pretty clear about the rules, Susannah," Michele said, using Sookie's full name. Shit, that was never a good sign. "And you," Michele looked at me. "I trusted you."

"It was my fault," I admitted.

"It's noble of you to take the blame, but you're both at fault, unless you snuck in like a ninja in the middle of the night," she said, but Sookie spoke up.

"No, he didn't," she admitted, and I admired her a little for telling the truth, even though I was more than willing to take the fall.

"I'd ground you but there isn't much point since you're leaving for college," Michele sighed. "Just don't let it happen again. I know Eric's leaving, and I know that can't be easy on either one of you, just like I know you're both adults according to the law but this is still my house."

"I know, Mama, and I'm sorry," Sookie said.

"Yeah," Michele sighed again.

"Me too, Michele," I volunteered. I really did feel bad for breaking their rules, but I didn't regret it either.

"You didn't tell Daddy, did you?" Sookie asked nervously.

"Eric's still got a pulse, doesn't he?" Michele fought a smile, but lost. "Look, I can appreciate your situation, but just don't do it again."

"We won't," Sookie promised, and I knew she meant it. I would make sure she did.

"Good," Michele stood up. "I have a few errands to run, but I'll be back in an hour so we can go get the last few things you need."

"Okay," Sookie nodded.

"There's waffles warming in the oven if you're hungry," she said, and grabbed her purse off the counter.

"Thank you Michele," I smiled at her.

"Thank you, Mama," Sookie added.

"Uh huh," Michele said, and then walked out the kitchen door.

Seconds later we heard her car start. Sookie sagged against the kitchen counter and I couldn't tell if she was angry, disappointed or something else entirely.

"Are you hungry?" I asked her.

"Yeah," she nodded, but stopped me when I went to grab plates for us. "But I could use a shower first. Care to join me?"

Waffles or sex? Waffles or sex?

I followed Sookie to the bathroom.

* * *

**SPOV**

"Oh my God, Had, this is so cute!" I held up a little onesie that had little puppies on it.

"It is," she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"What's going on?" I set the onesie down and moved over to where she was standing, looking at a wall of baby bottles.

"This is my future," she stared at the wall, gesturing to the bottles.

"Had..."

"You're lucky, Sookie," she said without looking away from the wall. "If you end up in my situation, at least Eric will know that the baby is his, and I don't think he would desert you."

I didn't know what to say, so I kept quiet.

"I know I put myself in this situation, so I can't blame anyone else for my problems, but... I just..." she finally turned to look at me. "Don't fuck it up, okay? Don't let your hormones or whatever get in the way of accomplishing your goals."

I nodded, but kept quiet. Since I wasn't in Hadley's shoes I couldn't imagine what was going on in her head, and I had no advice to offer her so I just kept my mouth shut.

"I'm afraid I'm going to screw this up the same as I do everything else," she confessed. "I don't want to be a bad mother, and I don't want my son to think that I resent him."

"Hadley, it's... " I wanted to tell her it was going to be okay, but I didn't know that any more than she did. "You'll have help, right? Aunt Linda, Gran, my Mom... they'll all help you. You won't have to raise him yourself."

"I know, but it all falls on me. The kind of person he becomes, whether he knows right from wrong, gets a good education... it's all up to me to make sure he has all the things he needs to be a good person. That's what scares me," Hadley explained. "I'm not a good person, Sookie."

"Hadley—"

"I take the easy way out every time it's offered to me. I'm not a hard worker. I didn't have any goals before I got pregnant. I don't know what kind of a future I can offer this kid. Hell, his own father doesn't even want—" she cut herself off. "I'm a failure, Sookie. What kind of a mother am I going to be when I can't even remember to feed my beta fish?"

"Come here," I gestured for her to come closer, and I pulled her into a hug.

She burst into tears and cried on my shoulder for a good ten minutes before Mom found us. "What's going on?" Mom asked as I rubbed Hadley's back.

"I'm going to be a shitty mother!" Hadley wailed and Mom frowned.

I let Hadley go so Mom could take over the mothering since she was much better at it than I was. She rocked Hadley back and forth, rubbing her back and whispering into her ear. I don't know what she said, but whatever it was was the right thing because Hadley stopped crying and seemed to calm herself down.

"Okay?" Mom asked when she pulled back, and Hadley nodded. "Okay," Mom smiled and wiped some of the tears off of Hadley's cheek. "Let's go checkout, and then we'll stop and pick up some lunch on the way home. Does Eric like Mexican food?"

"Yes, he does," I nodded. We found that out when we were traveling around the southwest.

"Good, then we'll stop for tacos," she said. "You okay with that, honey?" Mom asked Hadley, who nodded as well.

"Sookie, why don't you two go get the car and I'll meet you out front when I'm done checking out?" Mom suggested.

"Okay," I said, and took her keys when she offered them to me.

"Your mother is amazing," Hadley said as we walked to the front of the store.

"Yeah, she is," I agreed. I wanted to know what Mom said, but figured it wasn't any of my business.

"You're lucky to have her, Sook."

"I know," I smiled at Hadley, and she reached for my hand as we walked out into the parking lot.

* * *

**EPOV**

"Fuck! Fuck! Deeper, Eric! Fuck!" Sookie shouted, looking over her shoulder at me, her fingers digging into the back of the seat in her SUV.

I grabbed her shoulders and thrust into her as hard as I could. She screamed and begged for more. She was officially done working at Merlotte's for the summer, and to celebrate, we were on our second round of fucking in the back of her car. We weren't taking any chances after the night before. I stilled when I was fully sheathed inside her and reached around to rub her clit, holding her to me while I fingered her until she came hard, still clutching at the seat and screaming my name.

I nipped along her shoulder and let her fall forward before I started pounding into her again. She moaned through the aftershocks. We were both sweating and Sookie was starting to go limp from exhaustion after having so many orgasms in the last hour or so. And we hadn't exactly been gentle about it either. We shifted a little on the seat and she put her head down on the seat, leaving her ass up in the air.

It seemed like an invitation, so I couldn't help but slap it. She moaned and I felt her muscles tighten around my cock for a second before relaxing again. She liked that. So I did it again, and got the same reaction. Since it seemed to be the night to push the envelope and experiment a little, I moved my hand around in front of her to collect some of her wetness on my thumb before moving it back to her ass. I pressed against the little hole, and her head lifted.

"Don't worry, älskling, I won't fuck you there," I promised her, and her head dropped down again, but I did push my thumb in a little bit.

"Ah, fuck!" she shouted, but the clenching of her pussy told me it was a good thing. I pressed against her lower back, teasing her back entrance. All of a sudden Sookie was upright and leaning back to kiss me, and I was more than willing to oblige her. When the kiss broke she said, "I want you to come in my mouth, Eric. I want to taste us together."

Fuck. Me.

I growled and crashed my lips down on hers, reaching around to make her come one more time before I pulled out so I could finish in her mouth like she wanted me to. I kissed her through her orgasm, and as soon as it was over I pulled out of her and sat on the seat because there was know way I wasn't going to lose control of my legs. Sookie stayed on her hands and knees, but turned the other way so she'd be facing the right way on the seat.

She lowered her head and took my cock in her mouth as deep as she could, and used her hands on what she couldn't. She stroked with one hand and rubbed my balls with the other, quickly sucking my orgasm out of me. My hips bucked up when I came, and the string of curse words that left my mouth was nothing short of epic. If I hadn't already been crazy in love with the girl that was swallowing my come, I would have been after that.

Sookie moaned while she licked me clean, and then smiled up at me with a dopey expression on her face that probably matched my own.

"Fuck, I love you," I said, and pulled her face to mine to kiss her, and I was able to taste both of us on her tongue.

She straddled my lap to hug me, and when the kiss broke she rested her head on my shoulder. "I'm going to feel this tomorrow," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Was I too rough?" I asked her and she lifted her head.

"Not at all," she was still smiling. "That was amazing."

"Yeah, it was," I agreed, and she tucked her head under my chin.

She kissed my chest and said, "I love listening to your heart beat. I'm going to miss that sound."

"Don't start with that," I told her. "If you do, you'll start crying again."

"I can't help it," she said, but I could feel that she was still smiling. "I'm going to miss you, Northman."

"I know," I kissed the top of her head. "I'm going to miss you, too."

But then she lifted her head and said, "You're right, though. Let's not talk about that anymore tonight."

"Deal," I nodded.

"Think you've got one more round in you?" she asked.

"Sookie, I'm an eighteen year old boy with a super hot girl naked on my lap. I've got, like, twenty more rounds in me," I smiled at her.

"Prove it," she challenged.

* * *

**Jag vet att du är där också, Eric-** I know you're in there too, Eric.

**Blame Google translate for any crappy translations lol. Thanks for reading!**


	31. What Are You Afraid Of?

Chapter 31: What Are You Afraid Of?

**SPOV**

I sat at the picnic table alone, watching Eric with my brother, Eggs, Rene and Jason's friend Hoyt. The four of them made an odd quartet, but they looked like they had been friends for years. My brother was the first one to break away from the group, and he came over to where I was sitting to plop down next to me.

"How you doin', sis?" he asked.

"Okay," I smiled at him.

"You know, I don't like many people," he said, and that was true. Jason _tolerated_ a lot of people, and he was friendly to most everybody because he just wasn't the confrontational type in spite of his temper, but he didn't truly _like_ a lot of people. "But I like Eric. It's easy to see he really loves you and he's gonna miss you when he leaves."

"I know, Jase," I said. I didn't want to think about that. I had been doing well not thinking about it.

"I don't want you to get hurt, Sook," he said.

My head whipped to the right to look at him and asked, "Why would I?"

"Because you're young and being that far apart is going to be a lot more stressful than you realize," he said. When I opened my mouth to argue that we'd done it before he said, "It won't be like before. Y'all have slept together now—"

"How do _you_ know that?" I glared at him.

"Please," Jason tilted his head. "I might not be one of those rogue scholars—"

"Rhodes," I corrected him and had to bite back a smile.

"See what I mean?" he laughed at himself. "Sook, I'm never gonna be the book smart one in the family, but I'm tellin' you, bein' away from each other for as long as you two will… it ain't gonna be easy, and I don't want you to get hurt."

I teared up and reached over to give him a hug. When Jason was a good brother, he was the best. He hugged me back, but before we could get too sappy, he quickly shifted me into a headlock and started to give me a noogie like we were kids again.

"You jackass!" I squealed, and countered his headlock the way he'd taught me years ago. Next thing I knew we were wrestling around on the lawn like we were still little kids.

"Oh for heaven's sake!" I heard Daddy mutter.

"Don't worry, Corbett, I got this," Mama said, and then cold water from the hose hit us both.

We both screeched, but that afforded us a great opportunity to tag team our mother. Jason helped me up and then we went after her.

"Don't you dare!" Mom yelled when we rushed her, but the next thing she knew she was being hugged by her sopping wet children. "You're both… you're both grounded!"

We let her go because we were laughing too hard to keep hugging her. Jason and I doubled over, falling to the lawn while we kept on laughing. Eric came over and offered me a hand to help me up off the grass. Little blades of it were stuck to me and I was going to need to be hosed down a second time just to get all that crap off of me.

"You okay?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah," I smiled up at him. My stomach and cheeks hurt, but it was worth it. I had needed a laugh like that. "You having fun?"

"I am," he nodded. "Want a towel?"

"Yeah, but I'm gonna hose all this stuff off of me first," I said, and reached to grab the hose that Mom had dropped when Jason and I rushed her.

I got myself rinsed off and Eric handed me a towel when I was done. I looked over at Arlene and Rene, who were sitting together at the picnic table. She was perched on his knee and he was whispering in her ear. I had no idea what he was saying, but the smile on her face would indicate that it was good things. They were getting married in two weeks, and while I envied them on one hand because they got to be together all the time, I worried it wasn't going to last for them either.

I loved Eric a whole lot, but I wasn't ready to marry him. That would be a way to ensure he got to stay in the country, but it wasn't really a solution because it would just create a whole new mess of problems. I wrapped the towel around my shoulders and Eric hugged me from behind, his chin resting on the top of my head. We just stood there for a while, completely silent and enjoying being together. Moments like those were the ones I wanted to remember most when he was gone.

It was the stillness that he brought to my life in those rare moments that I wanted to hold onto more than anything. We had stood in a similar pose at the Grand Canyon, and again on a mountain in Utah… on a beach in Chicago on a warm summer night right before the sky opened up on us and we ended up making out in the rain for almost an hour. Those were the things that I tucked away in my heart for the times when I felt lonely or when I missed him so much it hurt.

Eventually Tara and Eggs made their way over to us to say goodnight. They had plans of their own and since I was leaving in the morning, I didn't want to get to bed too late.

"It was really great meeting you, Eric," Tara said, and actually gave him a hug. She whispered something I couldn't hear, but it made Eric laugh.

"I will, Tara," he promised her, and kissed her cheek before letting her go.

"Take care, man," Eggs gave him one of those bro hugs. "Hopefully we'll see you again."

"Totally. You got my email though, so we'll keep in touch," Eric said.

"For sure," Eggs said, and then came over to give me a hug, too. "Sook, you stay out of trouble. I don't want to hear too many stories about you gettin' rowdy on Bourbon Street."

I laughed and said, "I'm a few years shy of gettin' rowdy on Bourbon Street, Eggs."

"You ain't gotta be twenty-one for Mardi Gras parades," he reminded me.

"Don't worry, I promise to make Tara come with me if I feel like gettin' rowdy," I teased, and let him go.

"As long as you do all the flashing for beads," she said, and squeezed me tightly. "I'm gonna miss the shit out of you, you hear me?"

Tears sprang into my eyes again. I had been so focused on how much I was going to miss Eric when he left that I hadn't given much thought to how much I was going to miss my friends, and it hit me then just how much I was going to miss Tara.

"Me too," my voice cracked and I squeezed her back.

Because we were girls, we were bawling in a matter of seconds and speaking in tones that were damn near impossible to understand if you didn't have the right levels of estrogen pumping through your body. When we pulled apart, Eric and Eggs were staring at us like we were aliens.

"Oh shut up," Tara said in her usual feisty manner, but neither of them had spoken.

I leaned into Eric and watched Tara and Eggs walk away. A few minutes later Arlene and Rene left as well, although the goodbyes there weren't nearly as emotional for me. Truth be told, I wasn't really going to miss Arlene all that much. She was my friend and I _did_ care about her, but we weren't as close as we once were, and I knew she didn't entirely approve of my relationship with Eric.

Hoyt and Jason departed to go off and do their own thing. Eric and I helped Mama and Daddy clean up the yard and bring things inside. Gran, Aunt Linda and Hadley had come for dinner the night before so I'd already said my goodbyes to them. By the time we had everything all cleaned up it was close to ten. The drive down to New Orleans was about five hours and we had come to the conclusion that I had too much stuff to take with me for Eric and I got drive alone, so my parents were going to drive down as well in my father's truck.

"So we'll be stepping off at ten?" Daddy asked from the kitchen table.

"Yep," I nodded. "The trip takes about five hours and I'm not allowed to start unloading until four, so even if we have to make stops we should be there on time. Jessica will already be there when we get there, so you'll get to meet her before you leave."

"And what about Eric?" Mom asked, looking to him.

"I'll be staying at the Holiday Inn near the Superdome," he said. "I fly out on Friday."

The original plan had been for him to stay until Labor Day, but the roadtrip had been more expensive than we planned, so he'd changed his flight to a week earlier. He squeezed my hand, knowing that I didn't like that he had to leave sooner, but it was something we couldn't get around. He had to go home, and he couldn't afford to stay any longer. I knew he would of if he could of.

"Well, I thought we'd go to the Carriage Inn for breakfast in the morning," Mom said a moment later. "So if that's okay with you, be up and ready to go by nine."

I looked to Eric, who nodded in the affirmative.

"Yeah, that's fine with us," I said.

"Good," Mom smiled, and then came over to hug each of us goodnight.

Daddy kissed my cheek and clapped Eric on the shoulder, and then my parents went to their bedroom.

* * *

**EPOV**

Sookie sat on the edge of the bed while I packed. I had waited until the last possible minute to do it, and this was it. She helped me fold my laundry and handed me things that I asked for. I had more going back to Sweden than I realized, and it was a good thing I'd picked up a bigger carryon bag or I would have been in big trouble. As it was, Sookie was already going to have to mail a few things to me after I was gone.

She picked up the t-shirt I had been wearing when I first saw her at the airport in Dallas and smiled at it. I could have asked what she was thinking but I was pretty sure I already knew.

"When you get home I want to start writing you letters again," Sookie announced out of nowhere. "I miss sitting down and spending time thinking about the things I want to say before I say them, and I like that I can say anything to you in my letters. Sometimes things I can't say when we're face to face."

"I'd like that," I smiled at her. It would be nice to have something to read that wasn't on a computer screen. I'd be able to carry her letters with me and read them whenever I wanted to.

"Will you write to me, too?" she asked.

"Of course," I leaned down and kissed her.

"I want to know everything about the training you go through, well, at least what you can tell me about. I know a lot of that military stuff is hush-hush, but I'm curious to see how different it is from the American military," she said.

"And you can tell me about college," I said.

I didn't want to think about the number of guys that would be hitting on her on a daily basis, or the possibility that sometime she might decide that being so far apart wasn't worth it and let herself get involved with someone else. We were quiet after that, and once I finished packing I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I wasn't tired, and she didn't look to be either.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked me.

"I don't know," I set my suitcase on the floor. There was just enough room for it in the back of her SUV. "Got any ideas?"

"Lots of them, but with my car that full none of them will be happening," she smirked.

"We could go for a walk," I suggested.

"No," she said, and then stretched out on the bed. "Come here," she held her arms out to me.

I lay down beside her and parked my head on her chest. Her arms closed around me and her fingers moved lightly over my shoulder while mine moved on her stomach. We just lay there for a while, listening to each other breathe. When her breathing started to get ragged I knew she was crying, but I didn't make any moves to comfort her. Not because I didn't want to, but because she had earned the right to cry. I couldn't protect her from all the change that was happening in her life at once, and we both knew it.

For weeks I had been trying to find ways to distract her. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't, but for the moment I was giving up the fight and letting her have the release she needed. She wasn't just losing me, but everything that was familiar to her. She had every right to feel overwhelmed, stressed out, sad or anything else she might be feeling at the moment.

The weight of our separation was going to hit me eventually, but it hadn't yet and I was thankful for it. I didn't want to spend our last days together feeling depressed or like I was missing her already. You know, kind of like when someone you know has a terminal illness and it's only a matter of time before they die, but they're not dead yet. But then my separation with Sookie wouldn't be forever. We'd find a way to make things work, and in the meantime we had letters, emails, phone calls, Skype and all those other things to stay connected to each other. It wasn't as good as being in the same room, but it would keep us going until we could be.

"I hope you're okay with the idea of phone sex," I said out of nowhere, which made her laugh quietly. "I'm serious, Sookie. When I Skype you I'm going to need to see you naked at least once."

She slapped my arm and said, "You hush."

I couldn't help smiling at that because it was such a Sookie thing to do. I lifted my head and looked up at her. She had tear tracks on her face, and she slouched down a little bit more so our faces were closer together.

"You really think that's going to be enough?" she asked me.

"I think it's going to have to be for a while," I told her. "I know the statistics say that we won't make it, but I think we're better than that."

"I think so too," she smiled at me and slung one of her legs over my mine to pull me closer. "If I do the phone sex thing will you do it in Swedish?"

I chuckled and said, "If that's what you want."

"It is," she nodded.

"Will you promise not to get mad if I take pictures while we're talking?" I asked, and her jaw dropped. "I promise no one will ever see them but me."

She took a deep breath and said, "Fine, but I'm doing the same then."

"Älskling, you can see me naked anytime you want. All you have to do is ask," I reminded her.

"I know," she moved her hips against mine. "I really want you naked right now."

"Not here," I smiled at her, but wanted that too.

All of a sudden her face lit up and she said, "Come on," and pulled me up off the bed with her. "I have an idea."

"Oh yeah?" I said, creeping out of the bedroom behind her.

"Shhh…" she shushed me and led me to the kitchen, and then out the back door.

"Where are we going?" I asked her, still speaking in a whisper.

"It's a surprise. Just trust me," she insisted, squeezing my hand as she pulled me along.

* * *

**Hopefully I'll have a new chapter of this for you soon. I really, really want to finish this baby before the summer is over. Thanks for reading!**


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